Nearly 2,300 coronavirus positive patients in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, have submitted wrong names and other personal details to health authorities, PTI reported on Monday. Authorities have tracked down 1,171 people so far.
An unidentified health official told the news agency that a total of 2,290 people, who were tested at various private and government diagnostic laboratories between July 23 and July 31, had given false names, mobile numbers and addresses.
“This came to the fore when our department could not contact them,” the official said. “We have informed the police about it. These people are not only from Lucknow but [from] other cities also who were tested in the state capital.”
Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujit Pandey said the police were investigating the matter. “We have tracked 1,171 of these people and informed authorities and integrated Covid-19 command and control room,” he added. “Attempts are on to trace the remaining ones.”
Pandey added that city hospitals and laboratories were now directed to verify mobile numbers before taking samples for testing in order to keep a record of information.
The police are jointly working with the health department to identity the discrepancies, according to India Today. The administration may also take action against them for violating the Covid-19 guidelines.
Uttar Pradesh has recorded 53,168 coronavirus cases, including 1,730 deaths as of Monday, according to Union health ministry’s figures. India recorded 52,972 new coronavirus cases on Monday, taking the total number to more than 18 lakh. There are now 18,03,695 confirmed cases of the virus in the country, of which 11,86,203 patients have been discharged. The toll rose by 771 to 38,135.
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