NEW DELHI, June 3: India’s active COVID-19 cases have risen sharply, crossing the 4,000 mark, with Kerala continuing to report the highest numbers, followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi, according to the Union Health Ministry’s latest update on Tuesday.
The number of active cases, which stood at just 257 on May 22, climbed to 3,395 by May 31 and has now reached 4,026.
Currently, Kerala accounts for 1,446 active cases — the highest in the country — followed by Maharashtra with 494, Gujarat with 397, and Delhi with 393.
Five deaths linked to the virus have been recorded in the last 24 hours: one each from Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, and two from Maharashtra.
Despite the rise in numbers, official sources have maintained that the situation is under close watch and that the severity of infections remains low. “Most patients are under home care and there is no cause for worry,” a health ministry official said on May 31.
Dr Rajiv Behl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), attributed the current increase to Omicron subvariants, which are not showing severe clinical outcomes.
“Genome sequencing of samples from the western and southern parts of the country shows the presence of four Omicron subvariants — LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1. The first three have been seen more frequently,” Dr Behl said on Monday.
“We have been closely monitoring the situation. At this moment, we should be vigilant, but there is no cause for alarm,” he added.
