Health authorities are monitoring a recent uptick in Covid-19 cases across multiple Indian states, amid a regional resurgence in parts of Asia such as Hong Kong and Singapore, The Times of India reported.
Although national case numbers remain low compared to previous waves, cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahmedabad have recorded a noticeable rise in infections.
Covid cluster in Mumbai
Mumbai has logged 95 Covid-19 cases so far in May — a sharp jump compared to Maharashtra’s total of 106 cases since January, according to the state health department. At least 16 people are hospitalised, with patients being shifted from KEM Hospital to Seven Hills Hospital to prevent further spread.
All patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) are being tested for Covid-19, authorities said.
Covid infection in Gurgaon and Faridabad
Three cases of coronavirus infection have surfaced in Haryana's Gurgaon and Faridabad, an official said on Thursday. Two cases were reported from Gurugram and one from Faridabad.
In Gurugram, a 31-year-old woman who returned from Mumbai recently was found to be positive. A 62-year-old man with no travel history was also found infected. Both the patients have been isolated, the official said.
In Faridabad, a 28-year-old resident of Sehtpur in Palla area who has been working as a security guard, was found Covid-infected. After suffering from fever, cough and cold for the last several days, he went to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. A Covid test conducted there confirmed the infection, the official said.
Pune on alert
In Pune, municipal officials have preemptively reserved 50 beds at Naidu Hospital, even though there are no active Covid-19 patients in public hospitals.
“We had only one case in May — an 87-year-old from Manjari, who has since recovered,” said Dr Nina Borade, health chief at Pune Municipal Corporation. She noted that Covid-19 testing in civic hospitals has paused pending revised central guidelines.
Covid in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has also seen a recent increase, with 12 new cases reported in Puducherry. In Chennai, doctors say fevers initially attributed to influenza are increasingly testing positive for Covid-19.
“Two weeks ago, 60% of viral cases were influenza A or B. Now, it’s Covid-19,” Dr Subramaniam Swaminathan, infectious diseases expert at Gleneagles Healthcity, told ToI. He noted that some hospitals have delayed major procedures such as organ transplants and heart surgeries due to infection risks.
Dr T S Selvavinayagam, the state's public health director, advised caution in crowded spaces but said there was no need for panic. “Covid-19 never truly disappeared — it continues to circulate at low levels with seasonal surges,” he said.
New cases in Karnataka, Gujarat
Karnataka has confirmed 16 active Covid-19 cases, according to state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
In Gujarat, seven cases were reported in a single day in Ahmedabad — unusually high for a city that averaged just one case per month over the past year. All seven are in home isolation, and genomic sequencing has been initiated.
Gujarat currently has 15 active Covid-19 cases, all confirmed to be of the milder Omicron JN.1 variant. No hospitalisations have been reported.
What’s fueling the new Covid surge?
A sudden uptick in Covid-19 cases is being attributed to two rapidly spreading subvariants—OF.7 and NB.1.8—both offshoots of the JN.1 lineage, itself a descendant of the highly transmissible Omicron strain.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated JN.1 as a “variant of interest” due to its global spread, though it is not currently classified as a “variant of concern.” Its descendants, OF.7 and NB.1.8, are now under international scrutiny for their heightened transmission potential.
Why the spike now?
The recent rise in cases is being driven by increased transmissibility of these subvariants and waning immunity in the population. Most people have had prior exposure to Covid-19 through infection or vaccination, but that immunity is now fading over time.
This has led to noticeable spikes in various regions:
Singapore reported a 28% rise in infections in the week ending May 3, 2025.
Hong Kong saw its test positivity rate surge from 6.21% to 13.66% over four weeks, reflecting a rapid spread of the new subvariants.
Experts point to a mix of factors fueling this trend: declining immunity, reduced protection from older vaccines, increased social interactions, relaxed preventive measures, and possibly seasonal influences.
What’s different about these subvariants?
For now, OF.7 and NB.1.8 appear to cause symptoms similar to other Omicron offshoots, including:
Notably, loss of taste and smell—a hallmark of earlier variants like Delta—is largely absent with these new strains.
Health authorities emphasize that most cases remain mild, particularly among those who are vaccinated. However, older adults and people with underlying health conditions remain at higher risk for complications.
With inputs from ToI
Although national case numbers remain low compared to previous waves, cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahmedabad have recorded a noticeable rise in infections.
Covid cluster in Mumbai
Mumbai has logged 95 Covid-19 cases so far in May — a sharp jump compared to Maharashtra’s total of 106 cases since January, according to the state health department. At least 16 people are hospitalised, with patients being shifted from KEM Hospital to Seven Hills Hospital to prevent further spread.
All patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI) or severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) are being tested for Covid-19, authorities said.
Covid infection in Gurgaon and Faridabad
Three cases of coronavirus infection have surfaced in Haryana's Gurgaon and Faridabad, an official said on Thursday. Two cases were reported from Gurugram and one from Faridabad.
In Gurugram, a 31-year-old woman who returned from Mumbai recently was found to be positive. A 62-year-old man with no travel history was also found infected. Both the patients have been isolated, the official said.
In Faridabad, a 28-year-old resident of Sehtpur in Palla area who has been working as a security guard, was found Covid-infected. After suffering from fever, cough and cold for the last several days, he went to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. A Covid test conducted there confirmed the infection, the official said.
Pune on alert
In Pune, municipal officials have preemptively reserved 50 beds at Naidu Hospital, even though there are no active Covid-19 patients in public hospitals.
“We had only one case in May — an 87-year-old from Manjari, who has since recovered,” said Dr Nina Borade, health chief at Pune Municipal Corporation. She noted that Covid-19 testing in civic hospitals has paused pending revised central guidelines.
Covid in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has also seen a recent increase, with 12 new cases reported in Puducherry. In Chennai, doctors say fevers initially attributed to influenza are increasingly testing positive for Covid-19.
“Two weeks ago, 60% of viral cases were influenza A or B. Now, it’s Covid-19,” Dr Subramaniam Swaminathan, infectious diseases expert at Gleneagles Healthcity, told ToI. He noted that some hospitals have delayed major procedures such as organ transplants and heart surgeries due to infection risks.
Dr T S Selvavinayagam, the state's public health director, advised caution in crowded spaces but said there was no need for panic. “Covid-19 never truly disappeared — it continues to circulate at low levels with seasonal surges,” he said.
New cases in Karnataka, Gujarat
Karnataka has confirmed 16 active Covid-19 cases, according to state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao.
In Gujarat, seven cases were reported in a single day in Ahmedabad — unusually high for a city that averaged just one case per month over the past year. All seven are in home isolation, and genomic sequencing has been initiated.
Gujarat currently has 15 active Covid-19 cases, all confirmed to be of the milder Omicron JN.1 variant. No hospitalisations have been reported.
What’s fueling the new Covid surge?
A sudden uptick in Covid-19 cases is being attributed to two rapidly spreading subvariants—OF.7 and NB.1.8—both offshoots of the JN.1 lineage, itself a descendant of the highly transmissible Omicron strain.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated JN.1 as a “variant of interest” due to its global spread, though it is not currently classified as a “variant of concern.” Its descendants, OF.7 and NB.1.8, are now under international scrutiny for their heightened transmission potential.
Why the spike now?
The recent rise in cases is being driven by increased transmissibility of these subvariants and waning immunity in the population. Most people have had prior exposure to Covid-19 through infection or vaccination, but that immunity is now fading over time.
This has led to noticeable spikes in various regions:
Singapore reported a 28% rise in infections in the week ending May 3, 2025.
Hong Kong saw its test positivity rate surge from 6.21% to 13.66% over four weeks, reflecting a rapid spread of the new subvariants.
Experts point to a mix of factors fueling this trend: declining immunity, reduced protection from older vaccines, increased social interactions, relaxed preventive measures, and possibly seasonal influences.
What’s different about these subvariants?
For now, OF.7 and NB.1.8 appear to cause symptoms similar to other Omicron offshoots, including:
- Sore throat
- Mild cough
- Fatigue
- Fever
Notably, loss of taste and smell—a hallmark of earlier variants like Delta—is largely absent with these new strains.
Health authorities emphasize that most cases remain mild, particularly among those who are vaccinated. However, older adults and people with underlying health conditions remain at higher risk for complications.
With inputs from ToI
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