Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava conducted a review on Saturday of the recent COVID-19 cases reported from several states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, PTI reported citing official sources.
“The majority of these cases are mild and being managed through home isolation. However, the Union Health Ministry continues to stay alert and is actively monitoring the situation through its various agencies,” the sources told PTI.
Also Read: On Covid-19 cases in India, experts say: ‘Rise not a worry, no new variant or severe illness seen’
Cases have recently been reported from states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Authorities emphasised that a robust, nationwide surveillance system is in place to monitor respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and ICMR’s sentinel surveillance network.
Most COVID-19 cases are mild in India: Report
Most of the COVID-19 cases reported in various states are mild in nature and the patients are under home care, official sources said amid a rise in cases in some countries, PTI reported citing official sources.
“It may also be mentioned that there have been some media reports regarding increase in COVID-19 cases in Singapore, Hong Kong and other countries in the recent past. It has been ascertained from the respective National IHR focal points that there is no indication that the circulating variants are more transmissible or cause more severe disease compared to the previously circulating variants,” the source told PTI.
Active COVID-19 cases in India?
According to the Union Health Ministry, as of May 19, India has 257 active COVID-19 cases, most of which are mild and require no hospitalisation. The country continues to monitor respiratory illnesses through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the ICMR.
Types of variant detected in India
One case of the newly emerging COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 and four instances of the LF.7 type have been detected in India, according to INSACOG data.
As of May 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as Variants Under Monitoring, not as Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest. But these are the variants that are reportedly driving the rise in Covid cases in China and parts of Asia.
According to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), one case of NB.1.8.1 was identified in April in Tamil Nadu and four cases of LF.7 were detected in Gujarat in May.
Take a look at the COVID-19 cases in other states:
Karnataka
A 24-year-old pregnant woman in Karnataka’s Belagavi district has tested positive for COVID-19, making it the first confirmed case in the region, according to district health officials on Saturday.
“There is no alarming situation. There has been a slight increase in COVID-19 cases. In our state, this year we have had 35 cases of COVID. We have seen a slight increase in the last 15 days, and we have a technical advisory committee which met yesterday and issued an advisory to our people that those who have got severe acute respiratory illnesses should get themselves tested,” the health minister told reporters in Bengaluru.
Bengaluru: An 84-year-old man with serious underlying health conditions passed away in Bengaluru, and his COVID-19 test came back positive on Saturday, according to health officials. The state has reported 38 COVID-19 cases so far, with 32 of them occurring in Bengaluru, the health department said.
Uttarakhand
Two COVID-19 cases have been detected in Rishikesh, according to an official statement. State Health Secretary Dr. R Rajesh Kumar emphasised that there is no cause for concern at this time, noting that both individuals contracted the virus outside the state.
He added, “The situation is under close observation and that genome sequencing has been ordered to identify any potential new variants of the virus.”
Delhi
All 23 recent COVID-19 patients in Delhi experienced only mild symptoms and were under home quarantine, said the health officials in the Delhi government, PTI reported.
Maharashtra
The majority of these cases are mild and being managed through home isolation.
In Thane city, a COVID-19 patient with severe diabetes died due to comorbidities, while eight new COVID-19 cases were reported on Saturday, according to the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC). The city currently has 18 active cases, with only one patient hospitalised and the remaining individuals in home isolation.
(With inputs from agencies)
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