A steady rise in India’s Covid-19 cases is causing worry, mainly because of the detection of two new variants, NB.1.8.1 and LF.7. One case of NB.1.8.1 was discovered in Tamil Nadu by INSACOG in April. Additionally, INSACOG hasn’t found any AY.5 cases yet, but four cases of LF.7 have cropped up in May.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), both variants are now Variants Under Monitoring (VUMs). They aren’t now classified as VOCs or VOIs, but they have been tied to an increase in COVID-19 cases in China and some neighboring countries.
During May, Kerala had the most active cases, with 273 people infected. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Karnataka have all reported more cases of dengue. There were five new cases in Karnataka on Saturday and 32 of the state’s 38 active cases were based in Bengaluru. An elderly person who had other serious conditions died after testing positive and now a baby just nine months old is receiving treatment at Vani Vilas Hospital in Bangalore.
In response, the Karnataka government has asked at-risk groups such as pregnant women, children and others with medical problems, to wear masks and wash their hands in public.
Delhi had 23 new cases on Thursday. Pankaj Singh, the Health Minister, said the government has everything in place and that the new variant’s symptoms are much like those of the common flu.
On Saturday, Maharashtra had 47 cases and it saw 45 more cases on Sunday, now leaving the state with 209 active cases. The state also announced a death caused by Covid-19, in a 21-year-old with diabetic ketoacidosis.
From what the government reports, most recent cases cause only mild symptoms and are being treated at home. The Union Health Secretary confirmed that India has strong health surveillance, thanks to the IDSP and the respiratory virus network run by the ICMR.
