Agra, May 8 (IANS): Agra witnessed a slight decline in the number of Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Though there was little relief for the victims but their caretakers still struggling with Oxygen shortage and hospital beds.

The number of fresh cases stood at 198 on Friday and three new deaths were reported, the District Magistrate's Office said.

Medical sources said that a large number of people were in home isolation and were taking treatment from private doctors. On the other hand, the number of patients was reported to be alarmingly high in rural areas. It also came to the knowledge that unregistered doctor, formally known as ‘jhola chhap' were giving treatment to people complaining of fever, cold and cough.

The bed availability in the city has improved with the opening of two new centres run by private bodies. The district administration has been successful in streamlining the Oxygen distribution mechanism. The Chief Medical Officer along with his team had also been visiting the private nursing homes to ensure that the patients did not have to pay more than the government fixed rates, after a flood of complaints about fleecing, black marketing of drugs and Oxygen cylinders.