Active Covid-19 cases in India cross 3,000 mark for the first time in eight months

India has reported 3,000 active COVID-19 cases after nearly eight months, signalling what may be the beginning of yet another rise in the infection level.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in India reached 3,000 on Friday, according to data from the Union Health Ministry.

A single death was reported in Kerala as a result of a sharp increase in cases that followed the discovery of the first case of the sub-variant JN.1.

The government reported that the number of active cases increased from 2,669 to 2,997 on Friday. The death toll climbed to 5,33,328 with one person from Kerala succumbing to the virus. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18%.

As many as 4,44,70,887 recuperated from COVID-19 while the national recovery rate was pegged at 98.81%, the Health Ministry said. So far, 220.67 crore (220,67,79,081) doses of Covid vaccine have been administered.

With 265 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours, the number of active cases in Kerala, the state where the JN.1 was initially discovered, increased to 2,606 instances. Up until Wednesday, 21 cases of the JN.1 strain had been found all around India.

According to the Health Ministry, India saw 594 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, and there were 2,669 active cases, up from 2,311 the day before. The viral illness claimed the lives of six people: two from Karnataka, one from Punjab, and three from Kerala.

The government has said that the current surge in COVID-19 cases should not be a cause for alarm, emphasising the importance of avoiding panic. Nevertheless, the Center has recommended individuals with underlying health conditions to wear face masks as a precautionary measure.

In a recent assessment, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya examined the state of preparedness of health facilities nationwide, emphasising the need to remain vigilant against emerging strains of the COVID-19 virus.

Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant highlighted that despite the rise in cases, a significant 92.8% of individuals are in home isolation, suggesting mild illness.

Officials confirmed that there is no evidence of clustered cases linked to the JN.1 variant in India. Furthermore, all reported cases exhibited mild symptoms, and patients successfully recovered without complications.