Over the past week, India has witnessed a surge in Covid cases once again. Most of them have been attributed to JN.1, a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant, which is itself a strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that caused the pandemic. There are other variants in the air, too—LF.7, XFG, and NB.1.8.1, the last one being responsible for a resurgence of cases in several Asian countries. Experts have explained that some of the new variants may be spreading faster than earlier ones because of their distinct mutation. But it’s abundantly clear that there is no need to panic. Most new infections have been found to be mild, with flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, congested nose, body ache, and headache. The country’s health authorities have reaffirmed that the severity of infections is low, but have urged people, especially those with underlying health conditions or exhibiting symptoms of respiratory distress, to stay cautious.
Health minister J P Nadda has asserted that India now has a very robust system to deal with public health emergencies. At the same time, advisories such as wearing masks in public have been issued, and some state governments are proactively setting up isolation wards in government hospitals to tackle any eventuality. As the health ministry is putting out daily data of the new cases, Kerala has once again taken the lead by accounting for one-third of the country’s total; big states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have reported a fraction of what Kerala has. According to the Union government, this year’s Covid death toll till Thursday is 51.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has pulled up the Centre over delays in finalising the basic protocols for test sample collection. In an order dated May 28, it warned that “the next pandemic is far from over” and called for a status report on the steps taken regarding standards for sample collection, their transport, and the collection centres. By the government’s own data released recently, there was a massive underreporting of cases and related fatalities across the country in 2021. Four years later, our reporting infrastructure continues to remain woefully inadequate. This is the time for state governments to set up a transparent system. It is of vital importance, because precise numbers are essential for effective policy interventions.