COVID-19 Cases rise in India, Doctors Urge Caution

New Delhi: India has witnessed a slight uptick in COVID-19 cases over the past few days, with the Union Health Ministry updating its official dashboard to reflect 257 active cases across the country. The uptick comes amid a broader regional resurgence in parts of Asia, including Hong Kong and Singapore. 

While the overall number of infections remains relatively low compared to previous waves, localised surges in cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahmedabad have prompted precautionary measures.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that amid reports of rising COVID-19 cases in global hubs like Hong Kong and Singapore, doctors in Mumbai have observed an uptick in mild COVID-19 cases in the city. However, they emphasise that the situation remains far from the severity of the earlier waves that caused widespread devastation between 2020 and 2022.

Also Read: Mumbai sees Mild Covid-19 Cases, doctors say no need to panic

Mumbai has emerged as a focal point in Maharashtra’s recent case spike, with 95 new Covid-19 infections reported in May alone — a sharp increase given the state’s total of 106 cases since January, according to the Maharashtra health department. Sixteen patients have been hospitalised, with several transferred from KEM Hospital to Seven Hills Hospital to prevent further transmission.

Authorities have begun testing all patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) for COVID-19 to contain potential Clusters.

Pune Prepares Despite Zero Active Cases

Pune currently has zero COVID-19 cases in public Hospitals. However, city officials are not taking chances. The Pune Municipal Corporation has reserved 50 beds at Naidu Hospital in anticipation of potential cases.

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Speaking to TOI, Dr. Nina Borade, health chief at PMC, said, “We had only one patient in May — an 87-year-old from Manjari — who has since fully recovered.”

She noted that tests are currently not being conducted in civic hospitals as the city is awaiting updated central guidelines.

Rising cases in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, 12 new COVID-19 cases have been detected in Puducherry, while Chennai doctors are witnessing a notable shift in the nature of viral infections. What was previously presumed to be seasonal influenza is increasingly turning out to be COVID-19.

This shift has led some hospitals to delay critical procedures, including organ transplants and heart surgeries.

According to TOI, “We are seeing a rising share of Covid-19 among viral cases,” said Dr Subramaniam Swaminathan, an infectious diseases expert at Gleneagles Healthcity. “Two weeks ago, 60% of our positive samples were influenza A or B. Now, it’s COVID-19.”

Public health director Dr. T. S. Selvavinayagam urged residents to remain cautious but not alarmed.

Public health director Dr. T.S. Selvavinayagam said there is no need for panic but urged caution in crowded spaces. He mentioned that it has been observed that COVID-19 never truly disappeared, continuing to circulate at low levels with seasonal peaks.

COVID-19 cases rise in Karnataka and Gujarat, 

Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that Karnataka is currently managing 16 active COVID-19 cases.

Meanwhile, Gujarat reported seven new infections in Ahmedabad in a single day — a sharp rise for a city that has averaged just one case per month over the past year. All patients are in home isolation, and samples have been sent for genomic sequencing to rule out new variants.

New Variants Drive Resurgence

Although the World Health Organisation declared the end of the COVID-19 global health emergency in May 2023, the virus remains endemic and continues to circulate worldwide. The latest spike appears to be driven by emerging variants of the virus.

Also Read: Long COVID tied to long-term changes in heart and lungs leading to cardiac and pulmonary diseases: Study

According to the Hindustan Times, the JN.1 strain of COVID-19 was first found in August 2023, and the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated it as a ‘variant of interest’ in December 2023. It is a descendant of the Omicron BA.2.86 variant. The JN.1 variant has about 30 mutations according to WHO, and among them are LF.7 and NB.1.8, the most common among the cases being found in recent weeks.

Countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand have reported notable spikes in COVID-19 infections, primarily linked to the Omicron JN.1 variant and its descendants. Singapore, for instance, logged over 14,000 cases in early May, while other regions in Southeast Asia are seeing similar surges. The trend has raised concerns among Indian health officials and experts.

Experts Urge Caution as Virus Persists

In India, most recent cases have been mild, with no ICU admissions or fatalities reported during this rise.

Health experts have advised the public, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions, to resume basic precautions such as mask-wearing in enclosed spaces and frequent handwashing, TOI reports.

Doctors also recommend timely influenza vaccinations to reduce the risk and severity of potential co-infections during this seasonal surge.