Covid-19 resurgence: India records 752 new cases amid emergence of two new variants

India has witnessed a rise in Covid-19 infections, with 752 new cases reported over the past week, pushing the overall active caseload past 1,000. The surge has been most pronounced in Kerala, Maharashtra, and Delhi, where Kerala alone has seen 335 new cases, bringing its active cases to 430. Maharashtra reported 153 new cases and now has 209 active cases, while Delhi recorded 99 fresh infections, increasing its active cases to 104.

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Other states such as Gujarat (83 new cases), Karnataka (47), Uttar Pradesh (15), and West Bengal (12) also reported new infections. Despite the increase, Delhi’s Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured the public that there is no cause for alarm. She highlighted that hospitals are equipped with necessary resources and an advisory has been issued to maintain readiness.

Adding to the concern, two new Covid-19 variants, NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 have been identified by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog). Although these variants are not currently classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest, they remain under surveillance.

Union Health Secretary recently reviewed the situation, emphasizing that the majority of reported cases are mild and are being managed at home. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka are among the states most affected by this recent wave.