New Delhi: India’s total number of Covid-19 cases has reached 7,151 as of 8 AM on Thursday, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In the past 24 hours, 33 new infections have been confirmed, though case data from West Bengal is still awaited.
Additionally, six new deaths linked to Covid-19 were reported in the last 24 hours: three from Kerala, two from Karnataka, and one from Maharashtra. These bring the total number of Covid-related deaths in 2025 to 74.
8,000 Recovered
On a positive note, more than 8,000 individuals have recovered from the virus so far this year.
While several states have reported modest increases in active cases, Kerala remains the worst affected, with 2,223 active infections as of Thursday.
Other states with relatively high caseloads include Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi, and Maharashtra, based on data from the national COVID-19 dashboard.
Health authorities attribute the current rise in infections to new Omicron sub-variants including JN.1, NB.1.8.1, LF.7, and XFC. These strains are noted for their high transmissibility but are causing milder illness compared to earlier variants.
World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified them as “Variants Under Monitoring”, indicating that while they are not currently a serious threat, their progress should be observed closely.
Covid-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has now transitioned into a seasonal pattern similar to the flu. Though no longer considered an emergency, the virus continues to circulate and may pose risks, especially to vulnerable populations.
Don’t Panic
Though the Covid-19 cases are rising rapidly and the deaths have alerted us, there is no need to panic, prominent doctor Mohsin Wali has said.
Dr Wali, who has had the unique privilege of serving three Presidents of India – R. Venkataraman, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, and Pranab Kumar Mukherjee – said most of the people infected with the virus will have mild to moderate respiratory illness and will not require special treatment.
When Is Lockdown Imposed?
Now the question that people are repeatedly asking on social media is, “Can a lockdown be imposed?” Lockdown is not imposed just like that. The government takes this decision when the rate of deaths due to corona increases a lot.
That is, when there is a serious threat to people’s lives due to the spread of corona, then markets and other things are closed for some time. Lockdown is the last resort, and before this, some mild restrictions are imposed and people are asked to be cautious.