Covid-19 Updates: Active Cases In India Cross 6,000, Death Toll Rises To 65
New mutations identified as JN.1, NB.1.8.1, and LF.7 spur fresh concerns; centre ramps up hospital readiness.
India’s active Covid-19 cases have surged past the 6,000-mark, with a total of 6,133 active cases as of Sunday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The daily bulletin noted four new deaths, pushing this year’s Covid-19 death toll to 65.
The rise in cases is largely attributed to the emergence of the JN.1 variant, while NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 mutations are also contributing, although they have so far resulted in mild symptoms.
Kerala remains the worst-hit state, accounting for about 2,000 active cases. It logged the highest daily spike with 144 new cases, taking its active tally to 1,950.
Delhi added 21 new cases, reaching 686, and Gujarat recorded 105 new cases, bringing its total to 822. Maharashtra reported 18 new cases, with 595 active cases in total. West Bengal added 71 cases, pushing its tally to 693, and Uttar Pradesh reported 11 new cases, bringing its total to 219.
The country also reported four new Covid-19-related deaths on Sunday. These included a 45-year-old pregnant woman in Madhya Pradesh who suffered seizures during a cesarean section and later tested positive, a 63-year-old man in Maharashtra with multiple comorbidities, a 59-year-old man in Kerala battling advanced lung cancer, and a 79-year-old bedridden man in Tamil Nadu with diabetes and Covid-19 pneumonia.
Maharashtra has reported the highest number of deaths this year at 18, followed by Kerala (12), Delhi and Karnataka (7 each), Tamil Nadu (5), Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat (2 each), and Rajasthan and West Bengal (1 each).
Meanwhile, the central government has rolled out mock drills across hospitals nationwide to test oxygen supplies, ventilators, and critical medicines. The drills aim to ensure quick and efficient responses if Covid-19 cases continue to climb.
A series of technical review meetings were held on June 2 and 3, chaired by Director General of Health Services Dr Sunita Sharma, sources said. State and district surveillance units under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme are closely monitoring cases of Influenza Like Illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness.
Only Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Mizoram, Tripura, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa did not report any new cases in the last 24 hours.
