India is seeing a fresh rise in Covid-19 cases, with active infections nearing 5,000. This resurgence is due to new variants including LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and the recently identified NB.1.8.1 subvariant.
As Per data from the Union Health Ministry as of June 05,
Maharashtra (526), Gujarat (508) and Karnataka (436) are the other states to cross the 400 active cases mark. These six states currently account for 83 per cent of India’s total active infections.
Dr Soumya Swaminathan says no reason to fear COVID-19
There is no reason to fear COVID-19 due to the immunity people have acquired over the last few years, said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist of the World Health Organization, and chairperson of the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of Scope 2025, an international conference on endoscopy organised by GEM Hospital in Chennai, Dr. Swaminathan explained that the current surge is driven by subvariants of the Omicron strain. While the virus may have undergone some mutations, the overall strain remains the same.
India and other Southeast Asian countries have reported a similar trend in slight increase of COVID-19 cases. She said that the widespread use of vaccines, and in some cases, booster shots, has provided immunity. As a result, even if someone contracts the virus, symptoms will likely be mild, such as a two-day fever, cough, headache, and body aches.
Symptoms of coronavirus
Infectious variants, viral season behind Covid surge, say experts
Doctors and epidemiologists say that a combination of the emergence of mild but infectious variants, decreased testing and the onset of the viral season is behind the sudden rise in Covid-19 cases from just 35 on April 28 to almost 5000 within almost a month.According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (Insacog), India has already detected six cases of the LF.7 variant from Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Similarly, two cases of the NB.1.8.1 subvariant have been detected from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu this month.While these subvariants may not be behind India’s current surge, JN.1 still remains the dominant strain in the country.In India, the JN.1 variant continues to be the most prevalent, accounting for 53% of the samples tested, followed by BA.2 at 26%, and other Omicron sublineages making up the remaining 20%.
Transmissibility and Spread
NB.1.8.1 has shown a higher rate of transmissibility compared to some earlier variants. Preliminary findings indicate that it may have an improved ability to bind to human cells, potentially contributing to a rise in infection rates. The variant has been identified in international travelers arriving at major U.S. airports, including those in California, Washington, Virginia, and New York, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance and public health vigila
While the World Health Organization’s preliminary assessment considers NB.1.8.1 to pose a low global public health risk, its spike protein mutations—A435S, V445H, and T478I—indicate a potential for higher transmissibility and immune escape compared to other variants.
According to sources in the ministry, the surge is being led by the JN.1, XFG and LF 7.9 variants, which belong to the Omicron family and cause mild infections.“A notable but gradual increase in cases of acute respiratory illnesses caused by seasonal influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus is being seen in some parts of the country,” sources in the ministry added.Sabine Kapasi, advisor, public health and healthcare services, and strategist with the United Nations Covid-19 Task Force, said that while the numbers are not alarming, they do signal a need for vigilance.
Government taking steps to counter this surge
State governments have also asked hospitals for daily reporting of influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory illnesses to the Centre’s Integrated Health Information Platform.
