Mumbai sees more than 100 COVID cases: Is a new pandemic just around the corner?

Time of India

23-05-2025

The news of a fresh spike in COVID-19 cases from Mumbai and a few other cities might bring back a strange sense of déjà vu, those initial anxious days of the pandemic, the masks, the isolation, and the uncertain headlines.
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But is this new rise in numbers a sign of something bigger? Or is it just a passing ripple in the larger health landscape?
Here is all we need to know about what's happening, what it means, and whether this moment calls for fear, caution, or just a gentle reminder to stay aware.
A sharp rise in Mumbai: Should this be a wake-up call?
In May alone, Mumbai recorded 95 COVID-19 cases: a significant jump considering only 106 cases were reported in Maharashtra since January. Sixteen people are currently hospitalised.
While this number may not sound alarming compared to previous waves, it marks a clear shift in the virus's quiet behaviour over the past year.
Health workers have been moved from one hospital to another to prevent potential transmission, and tests are being conducted on people showing symptoms of influenza-like illness. This isn't just a random uptick — it's a cluster. And clusters, as history has shown, often precede waves.
(Pic courtesy: iStock)
What's happening beyond Mumbai?
Chennai is seeing a rise too. Doctors there are reporting a shift — fevers that were earlier assumed to be the flu are now turning out to be COVID-19. In fact, some surgeries like heart procedures and organ transplants have been postponed as a preventive measure.
Meanwhile, Gujarat, Karnataka, and even Puducherry have started reporting small but noticeable spikes. In Ahmedabad, seven new cases were detected in just one day — a sharp jump from its usual count of just one case a month.
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Even cities with no active cases, like Pune, are in alert mode. Fifty hospital beds have been set aside. That says something: not panic, but readiness.
While the current COVID-19 cases in India appear to be linked to the JN1 variant of Omicron, which has been circulating for some time, we must remain vigilant. Although hospitalizations haven't risen here yet, trends in countries like Singapore remind us not to be complacent. All age groups could be affected, with extremes of age and those with comorbidities at higher risk. It is crucial for authorities to step up surveillance and for hospitals to resume testing for COVID-19 in respiratory tract infections. Individuals must follow hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. At present, there are no specific booster guidelines from Indian authorities, and we await further directives from ICMR. While most waves tend to pass without severe outcomes, we must stay cautious, monitor trends, and be prepared for any unexpected developments.
Dr. Sushila Kataria, Senior Director, Internal Medicine, Medanta, Gurugram
It's important to separate the numbers from the narratives. Yes, cases are increasing. But no, this isn't 2020 all over again.
The World Health Organization declared the global COVID-19 emergency over in May 2023. Since then, the virus has become endemic — meaning it still exists, but behaves more like the flu, with seasonal flare-ups.
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What's happening now may not be the start of a new pandemic, but rather a localised surge, influenced by seasonal changes, immunity dips, or new variants. And while the word 'new variant' might stir up fear, most of these strains remain mild — especially in people who are vaccinated.