India’s Covid-19 situation continues to escalate, with active cases rising to 4,302 as of Wednesday morning at 8 am, an increase from 4,026 reported on Tuesday, as per data available from the Union Health Ministry.
Two additional fatalities have brought the year’s death toll to seven.
Over the past 24 hours, nearly 300 new infections were reported, with Kerala registering the highest number. Notably, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, too, have experienced a marked rise in cases.
Meanwhile, 3,281 patients have recovered and have been discharged. The recent spike includes 60 new cases in West Bengal, 63 in Uttar Pradesh, and 64 in Delhi. Just a day earlier, Delhi recorded 47 new cases, and Kerala reported 35. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, although hospitalisation rates remain relatively low.
For the first time, Himachal Pradesh reported its first case of the latest surge in Nahan, Sirmaur district, on Tuesday, indicating the virus’s continued spread across regions.
The resurgence has been driven by four predominant variants-LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1. Notably, NB.1.8.1 is a newly identified sub-variant in India, classified by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution as a ‘Variant Under Monitoring’ due to its significant genetic changes, though its epidemiological impact remains uncertain.
While multiple nations are witnessing renewed increases in Covid-19 cases, the overall fatality rate remains low, with most infected individuals experiencing mild symptoms.
In response to the rising numbers, the governments of Delhi and Uttarakhand have issued advisories urging hospitals to prepare adequately by ensuring sufficient beds, oxygen supplies, medicines, and vaccines.
Currently, the most prevalent variant in India is JN.1, accounting for 53% of tested samples, followed by BA.2 at 26%, along with other Omicron sublineages making up the remaining 20%, as per the health experts.