India reported 743 new COVID-19 cases and 7 fatalities in the last 24 hours, as daily infections continued to rise after breaching the 700-mark just a day earlier.
Of the seven deaths, Kerala accounted for 3 followed by 2 in Karnataka and 1 each in Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, as per Health Ministry data. The number of active cases in the country stands at 3,997.
This comes even as India detected 162 cases of the COVID sub-variant JN.1 till Friday. Experts have advised caution and adherence to basic preventive measures amid the ongoing festive season when virus transmission is expected to be higher in crowded settings.
However, they have assured me there are no reasons to panic at the moment or reinforce restrictions. Viral respiratory illnesses typically see a spurt in winter months aided by unfavorable weather and high pollution levels.
Sumit Ray, Medical Director at Holy Family Hospital said they have been witnessing more influenza and H1N1 patients with serious lung problems rather than COVID cases which seem to be detected incidentally.
With India’s COVID recovery rate remaining high at 98.81%, experts feel the mild rise in cases per se is not worrying if proper precautions are followed. However, they have asked the vulnerable population and the elderly to avoid crowded places and wear masks.
The recent clusters emerging in some IITs and schools also serve as a grim reminder that the virus has still not been eliminated. Going forward more genomic surveillance and tracking of emerging variants will be the key.
Authorities have advised citizens not to let their guard down but also assured them there are no reasons to push the panic button yet or revert to harsh restrictions. However, they have not ruled out targeted containment strategies if hotspots witness further spikes.
