India continues to witness an uptick in Covid-19 cases, with over 6,800 new infections recorded in the last 24 hours, as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Karnataka and Gujarat led the daily tally, each reporting more than 120 fresh cases. Three Covid-related deaths were also reported during the same period.
While no immediate return to restrictions has been announced, health authorities have urged the public to stay cautious, maintain hygiene, and consider wearing masks in crowded or indoor areas.
Kerala, another state witnessing a steady rise, logged 96 new infections. State Health Minister Veena George stated that extra precautions should be taken, especially for the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. She confirmed that the dominant strains in the state are Omicron JN.1 sub-variants LF.7 and XFG, which are not considered severe but are highly transmissible.
“Masks are advised in public areas and while travelling. Genomic sequencing is underway to monitor circulating variants,” the minister said.
Currently, Kerala has 2,223 active Covid-19 cases, with 96 people under treatment—mostly individuals with underlying health issues. The highest number of cases have been reported from Ernakulam (431), Kottayam (426), and Thiruvananthapuram (365) districts.
Prof. (Dr) Balram Bhargava, former DG of ICMR, noted that the appearance of new variants like XFG is part of the virus’s natural evolution. He added that India’s readiness to detect emerging strains quickly has improved due to widespread deployment of molecular testing platforms like Truenat.