&w=3840&q=100)
Infectious variants, viral season behind Covid surge, say experts
This comes as India recorded 3,758 active Covid-19 cases on June 1, with five states — Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat and Karnataka — accounting for 76 per cent of the total infections in the country, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Among states, Kerala has the highest caseload of 1,400 — a rise of 970 cases over the last week. It is followed by Maharashtra at 485 cases, of which 50 were reported on Saturday.
Delhi too saw an increase of 332 cases since May 26, with the national capital currently reporting 436 active Covid-19 cases. Similarly, Gujarat and Karnataka are also reporting high caseloads at 320 and 238 active cases respectively.
The surge has been more pronounced in the last weeks of May 2025, with health ministry data suggesting that India saw a 272 per cent rise in cases within the six-day period from May 26 (1,010 cases) to June 1.
Neha Rastogi Panda, consultant–infectious diseases at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram, said that Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi are seeing a notable uptick in infections from emerging subvariants of the JN.1 variant such as NB.1.8.1 and LF.7.
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. 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.
Panda added that while high transmission is also being observed, there is no rise in severe cases that may require hospitalisation.
Another doctor added that a reason behind the rise in cases could be increased testing. 'Rising case numbers have led to an uptick in testing, which had reduced considerably over the year,' he 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.
To counter the current surge, several states and union territories have issued advisories asking both government and private hospitals to ensure preparedness in terms of beds, oxygen, antibiotics and other drugs.
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.
Central health authorities have also swung into action, holding several review meetings to assess the situation in the country. According to reports, Union health secretary Punya Salila Srivastava has asked all states to submit an action taken report over preparedness plans by June 2.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
ASHA workers to hold three-day dharna in Bengaluru; demands include better pay and job security
ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers from BBMP, Bangalore urban and rural districts, will launch a three-day dharna at Freedom Park on Seshadri road, starting August 12, as part of a State-wide agitation demanding better wages and job security. Organised under the umbrella of various ASHA workers' unions, the protest aims to draw the attention of the Karnataka Chief Minister and Health Department to what workers call long-standing neglect of their contributions, especially in the post-pandemic era. Among their primary demands, the ASHA workers are seeking a monthly compensation of ₹10,000, effective from April 2025. This includes both the State-provided honorarium and the Central government's incentive portion. Workers argue that despite being the frontline force in delivering rural healthcare and playing a crucial role during COVID-19, their efforts remain under-recognised and underpaid. The unions have also urged the State government to increase the ₹1,000 honorarium currently provided to all ASHA workers, in line with hikes recently granted to other scheme-based workers in the State Budget. Another key demand is job security. ASHA workers are strongly opposing any move to remove them under the guise of 'rationalisation,' fearing mass displacement and loss of livelihood. Meanwhile, the government has directed the officials to take necessary steps to ensure that public health services are not disrupted. The government issued a circular on Monday instructing the officials of Health and Family Welfare department to convince the ASHA workers of the facilities provided and to persuade them to not participate in the 'illegal agitation'. 'Information about ASHA workers who were absent from duty in their district limits every day from August 12 to 14, 2025, should be submitted to the Commissionerate. Apart from medical emergency, all types of leave should be restricted of all officers and staff of the Health Department (permanent/contract). And, the details of the activities of the ASHA workers who participated in the dharna should be entered on the website,' stated the circular.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Ousted FDA vaccine chief Vinay Prasad returning to agency
Washington, Aug 11 (AP) A Food and Drug Administration official is getting his job back as the agency's top vaccine regulator, less than two weeks after he was pressured to step down at the urging of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of President Donald Trump. Dr Vinay Prasad is resuming leadership of the FDA centre that regulates vaccines and biotech therapies, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement Monday. Prasad left the agency late last month after drawing ire of right-wing activists, including Laura Loomer, because of his past statements criticizing Trump. A longtime a critic of FDA's standards for approving medicines, Prasad briefly ordered the maker of a gene therapy for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy to halt shipments after two patient deaths. But that action triggered pushback from the families of boys with the fatal condition and libertarian supporters of increased access to experimental medicines. Prasad's decision to pause the therapy was criticized by The Wall Street Journal editorial board, former Republican Sen Rick Santorum and others. The FDA swiftly reversed its decision suspending the therapy's use. Loomer posted online that Prasad was 'a progressive leftist saboteur," noting his history of praising liberal independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. But Prasad has had the backing of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who have both called for scrutinizing the use of COVID-19 vaccines. Under Prasad, the FDA restricted the approval of two new COVID-19 shots from vaccine makers Novavax and Moderna and set stricter testing requirements for future approvals. (AP) RD RD view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Meet Adam Kovalčík: Teen scientist whose breakthrough could slash the costs of lifesaving drugs for Ebola, COVID-19 and more
Image credits: Getty Images (Representative Image) A 19-year-old from Slovakia was flying to an international science competition in Ohio, with an idea that he didn't expect to win big, but loved enough to showcase to the world. Adam Kovalčík, a teen from a small village in a European country, not only walked away with the George D. Yancopoulos Innovator Award but also a $100,000 top prize for his breakthrough idea that could slash the cost of antiviral drugs. Adam Kovalčík's innovative method Image credits: Getty Images According to a Business Insider report, Kovalčík created a simplified drug production method using corn husks in place of the most costly ingredients. The young prodigy had aimed to make galidesivir cheaper and faster to produce. The drug targets RNA viruses, including Ebola, Zika and COVID-19. He replaced the standard beginning materials with furfuryl alcohol, a compound that is derived from corn waste. Additionally, rather than assembling the molecule in multiple stages, he formed the core sugar in seven reactions, developing a shorter 10-step method from the conventional 15. This cuts the production time from nine to five days and reduces the cost per gram from $75 to just $12.50. What lies ahead? While his method would need to go through clinical trials before any wide-scale applications, the Regeneron judges were impressed and described his presentation as airtight. "This could be a huge step to help prevent some of these RNA viruses," said Chris RoDee, chemist and chair of the judging committee and retired patent examiner. "I cannot describe this feeling," Kovalčík told Business Insider after the live ceremony, adding that he was surprised to win, especially coming from a small Slovakian village. After the competition, he filed a preliminary patent and returned to his university lab to continue refining the synthesis. According to early computer modelling, one new molecule from his work may bind more effectively to viral enzymes than galidesivir. Kovalčík is also working on a side project that turns corn waste into fragrance compounds. His work is a part of a growing movement of scientists who are rethinking food waste to create big breakthroughs from small labs.
