797 New COVID Cases, Highest in 7 Months

5 More Deaths Reported Recently…

India witnessed a steady rise in COVID-19 infections, registering 797 new cases in the last 24 hours, marking the highest figure in over seven months.

The health ministry also reported five recent fatalities, with two in Kerala and one each in Maharashtra, Puducherry, and Tamil Nadu.

India's daily COVID-19 cases surpassed the count reported on May 18, reaching 797, compared to 865 back then.

After maintaining double-digit daily cases until December 5, the numbers have risen again, attributed to the emergence of the JN.1 variant and colder weather conditions.

The highest daily count of new COVID-19 cases in India last week was 752 on December 22. The current week's peak, although slightly higher, indicates a gradual rise in infection numbers.

At the peak of the pandemic, daily COVID-19 numbers in India reached lakhs. Since its onset in early 2020, the country has witnessed over 4.5 crore infections and more than 5.3 lakh deaths in about four years.

The recovery count exceeds 4.4 crore, boasting a national recovery rate of 98.8%. The health ministry reports the administration of 220.6 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

Dr. Neeraj Nischal, additional professor in the department of medicine at AIIMS, mentioned that the existing evidence regarding JN.1 does not indicate any significantly heightened disease severity parameters, such as increased hospitalization, oxygen/ventilator requirement, or mortality compared to other currently circulating Omicron descendant lineages.

Dr. Neeraj Nischal emphasized that a clearer risk evaluation will emerge with more evidence.

He highlighted the importance of considering not only acute severity but also the emerging data on long-term complications of COVID-19, even in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases. Vigilance against infection remains crucial.