India's COVID-19 Situation: Active Cases Cross 5,000, Over 50 Deaths

 Global Situation:

• Increasing Activity: Global SARS-CoV-2 activity has been increasing since mid-February 2025, with the test positivity rate reaching 11% as of May 11, 2025. This level hasn't been observed since July 2024.
• Regional Surges: The rise is primarily observed in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific regions. Some countries in Eastern Asia, Western Africa, Central America and Caribbean, Western Asia, and Southern Asia also reported elevated activity.
• Hospitalizations and Deaths: From April 21 to May 18, 2025, over 133,000 new COVID-19 hospitalizations and 195 new ICU admissions were reported globally. While overall new deaths decreased in this period compared to the previous 28 days (1,110 new deaths reported vs. 1,811), some countries in the Americas, Europe, and South-East Asia showed an increase in new deaths. A significant portion of deaths (89% in April 2025) occurred in individuals aged 65 and over.
• Variants Under Monitoring: The WHO is currently tracking several variants, including JN.1 (Variant of Interest) and LP.8.1, XEC, NB.1.8.1, KP.3.1.1, and KP.3 (Variants Under Monitoring). The NB.1.8.1 variant, first detected in January, is a recombinant variant that has shown an increasing spread globally. It is now the dominant variant in China and Hong Kong and is being researched for its potential to spread more easily and partially evade immunity.
• Vaccine Effectiveness: Current COVID-19 vaccines are still expected to be effective against these new variants in protecting people from severe illness. Vaccine uptake among high-risk groups remains low globally.

Situation in India:

• Active Cases Rising: India is experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, with active cases crossing 5,000 as of June 6, 2025.
• Fatalities: Four new COVID-19 related deaths were reported in the last 24 hours (as of June 6, 2025), with two from Kerala and one each from Karnataka and Punjab. All reported deaths were in individuals over 60 with co-morbidities.
• Most Affected States: Kerala has the highest number of active cases, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal, and Delhi.
• Symptoms: Most new cases are showing common influenza-like symptoms such as mild fever, cold, cough, or sore throat. Symptoms associated with the NB.1.8.1 strain include sore throat, cough, muscle aches, fever, nasal congestion, and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea and diarrhea.

General Advice:

• Preventive Measures: Continue to protect yourself and others by staying informed about the disease, maintaining at least 1 meter distance from others, wearing a properly fitted mask when physical distancing is not possible or in poorly ventilated settings, and frequent hand washing.
• Vaccination: Get vaccinated when it's your turn and follow local guidance.
• Stay Home if Unwell: If you feel unwell, stay home and self-isolate until you recover. Seek medical attention if you have fever, cough, and difficulty breathing.

It's important to note that global reporting of COVID-19 data has changed significantly, with many countries having stopped reporting or integrating COVID-19 surveillance into broader respiratory disease surveillance. This means that reported figures may not always reflect the true number of infections.