Covid Cases Rise To Nearly 3,000, 7 deaths reported

India's active coronavirus cases have risen to nearly 3,000, with Kerala fighting the latest resurgence of infections-followed by Maharashtra, and Delhi. Official data shows a quick rise in the cases within four days. While India recorded a total of 1,010 cases by May 26, the official data by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare shows a total of 2,710 infections as of May 30.

According to the data, Kerala has recorded 1,147 cases, Maharashtra 424, Delhi 294, and Gujarat 223. Tamil Nadu has recorded a total of 148 cases so far, while Karnataka and West Bengal have reported 148 and 116 cases, respectively.

Rajasthan has reported 51 cases, Uttar Pradesh 42, Puducherry 25, Haryana 20, Andhra Pradesh 16, Madhya Pradesh 10, Goa seven, and Odisha, Punjab, and Jammu Kashmir four each. Three states - Telangana, Arunachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh have reported three cases each, while Mizoram and Assam have two people detected with the infection each so far. No active case has been reported from Andaman and Nicobar, Sikkim, and Himachal Pradesh. The official data for Bihar is not yet available.

Data suggested at least seven died in recent weeks across India. Two people who died in Maharashtra (1) and Delhi (1) had other severe ailments along with Covid-19. However, it is not yet clear whether others died due to the infection. All people who died, except for the one in Punjab, were senior citizens, officials said.

However, officials have said that the coronavirus cases are mild in nature and there is no need to panic. In India, the most common Covid-19 variant remains JN.1, comprising 53 percent of samples tested, followed by BA.2 (26%) and other Omicron sublineages (20%), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). However, the recent cases have seen at least one case of the new highly contagious NB.1.8.1 variant, and at least four cases of the LF.7 variant, the report said.