India logged 602 fresh COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, taking the active caseload to 4,440, according to data from the Union Health Ministry. The country also recorded 5 new fatalities in the last 24 hours.
The spike in cases comes amid growing concerns over the spread of a new Omicron sub-variant known as XBB or JN.1. As per the latest reports from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a total of 312 cases of the JN.1 variant have been detected across India so far.
Nearly half of these cases (147) were reported in Kerala alone, followed by Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Maharashtra (26) and Tamil Nadu (22). At least 10 states and UTs have reported the presence of this new sub-variant that is said to be more transmissible.
In the national capital Delhi, 16 cases of JN.1 have surfaced so far, mostly involving patients recovering under home isolation. Maharashtra has recorded 32 cases of this variant to date, but no virus-linked deaths were reported on Tuesday.
The rise in JN.1 cases comes on the back of an overall spike in India’s COVID-19 graph since early December 2022. After daily infections had dropped to double digits, the country is now logging 500+ cases every day amid colder weather and increased social gatherings.
However, India’s current COVID trajectory remains under control compared to the devastating second wave in 2021. The country’s vaccination coverage, natural immunity, and adherence to safety norms have prevented a rapid growth of cases so far.
But experts have warned people not to let their guard down as new Omicron offshoots coupled with festive gatherings and weakened adherence to masks/distancing protocols can cause the virus spread to rebound. They urge citizens to take their booster shots and stick to basic precautions ahead of a possible fresh wave.
