Uttar Pradesh’s handling of the second wave of COVID-19 cases was unparalleled, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Thursday morning during a visit to his constituency of Varanasi. UP stood up and battled the virus efficiently is India’s most populous state but the manner in which Uttar Pradesh handled and controlled the pandemic is worthy of praise. UP’s handling of the second wave of COVID-19 has been unparalleled, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also said UP – which recorded over 30,000 new cases daily at the peak of the second wave, up from a record single-day high of 7,016 cases in the first – had stood up and battled the virus efficiently, and that its management of the pandemic was worthy of praise.

Today UP is a state that does the maximum number of tests across the country. It is a state that does maximum number of vaccinations, he said.  Modi was in Varanasi to inaugurate development works worth Rs 1500 crore a visit informally marking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s start of campaign for elections in Uttar Pradesh.