New Delhi: A video that went viral in Meerut on Sunday stands as an example of the fact that corrupt practices may be impeding India’s efforts against the spread and treatment of the coronavirus. The video shows a group of people urging the staff of a private hospital to fake their COVID-19 test reports and declare them as having tested negative so that they “don’t face any problem for at least a week.” They went on to offer Rs 2,000 to the hospital manager, and can be seen promising another Rs 500, when their “negative test reports” arrive.Private hospital staff in UP’s Meerut promising Covid-19 negative reports from district hospital in exchange for money. “Clients” seen giving Rs 2,000 to hospital manager and promising to pay remaining Rs 500 when report arrives.Story by @IshitaBhatiaTOIhttps://t.co/19IX1KEr9H pic.twitter.com/z3wUdW19NJ— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) July 6, 2020The district’s chief medical officer has now ordered a probe, and filed a case against the hospital owners. The district magistrate Anil Dhingra has also suspended the hospital’s licence. Also read: Six Hospitals and an MLA: What It Takes to Get a COVID-19 Patient Into a Delhi Hospital“An inquiry has been set up into the matter. From the video, it has emerged that the hospital’s manager is promising people a fake COVID-19 negative report in exchange for money. A case against him has been filed under Section 420 (fraud) of IPC,” Raj Kumar, the chief medical officer said. He added that a probe is also going on to find out whether anyone from the district hospital helped the private hospital in securing fake test reports. Meerut has reported 1,117 cases so far, out of which 69 have died while 772 have recovered. Uttar Pradesh has had 28,061 cases until now, with 785 deaths and 18,761 recoveries.