India’s active Covid-19 cases near 6,000, Kerala reports highest numbers
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India's active Covid-19 caseload has risen to 5,755, with Kerala emerging as the most affected state in the current wave, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The latest figures indicate an increase of 391 active cases since Friday.
Kerala leads with 1,806 cases, followed by Gujarat (717), Delhi (665), and West Bengal (622). Other affected states include Maharashtra with 577 cases, Karnataka with 444, and Uttar Pradesh with 208. Tamil Nadu has reported 194 infections, while smaller numbers were observed in Puducherry (13), Haryana (87), Andhra Pradesh (72), Madhya Pradesh (32), and Goa (9).
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, a total of 59 deaths have been recorded due to Covid-19 in recent weeks. In the past 24 hours alone, four deaths were reported—two of which involved a 45-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh and a 79-year-old man from Tamil Nadu who were both diagnosed with Covid-19.
However, authorities are still verifying whether the virus was the direct cause of death in all cases.
Despite the uptick in numbers, health officials have urged the public to remain calm, stating that the current infections are mostly mild in nature and manageable.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has confirmed that recent genome sequencing from southern and western parts of the country shows the presence of Omicron sub-variants, including LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1.
ICMR Director General Dr. Rajiv Behl assured the public that there is no immediate cause for concern. "Whenever cases increase, we look at three things. It's dependent on three factors, with the first being how transmissible it is, conversely, how fast the cases are increasing. Previously, we saw Covid-19 cases double in two days, but this time it is not that cases are increasing rapidly," he explained.
