Hyderabad: Covid-19 cases are quietly creeping up again across India, with health officials keeping a close eye on the fast-moving JN.1 variant and its sub-lineages. As of Monday, the country’s active case count has climbed past 1,000 – with Kerala accounting for the largest share of infections.
On Tuesday, the national active caseload stood at 1,010. Kerala alone reported over 400 cases, triggering concern among health authorities. Smaller clusters are also surfacing in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
Experts say this new wave is largely being driven by the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron, along with its offshoots, LF.7 and NB.1.8—all of which appear to spread more easily. Singapore’s health ministry has recently flagged the growing presence of these strains, joining a chorus of global health agencies monitoring the situation.
While JN.1 seems to transmit more rapidly than earlier variants, initial data suggests it might not cause more severe illness. In the past few weeks, countries like the US and Singapore have seen a rise in hospital admissions linked to the variant. China, too, has issued a warning about a possible surge in cases come January, citing JN.1’s rapid spread.
While this latest wave hasn’t shown signs of being more severe, it’s been enough to reignite global concern. Health experts, though, are urging people to stay informed and cautious -without hitting the panic button just yet.