Health officials are keeping a close watch as Covid-19 cases slowly rise again in parts of India. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Ahmedabad are seeing a small but noticeable increase in cases. This comes as other Asian regions like Hong Kong and Singapore also report a surge in infections. However, overall Covid numbers in India remain much lower than during previous waves.
Covid Cluster Found in Mumbai
Mumbai has reported 95 new Covid-19 cases in May alone, a big jump considering Maharashtra had only 106 cases since January. Currently, 16 people are hospitalised, and some have been moved from KEM Hospital to Seven Hills Hospital to avoid spreading the virus further.
Doctors are now testing all patients with flu-like symptoms or serious breathing issues for Covid-19.
Pune on Alert But No Active Cases
Pune has no active Covid-19 cases at the moment. But city officials are being careful and have kept 50 hospital beds ready at Naidu Hospital just in case.
Dr Nina Borade from Pune’s health department said the city had only one Covid-19 case in May — an 87-year-old who has now recovered. Testing is not being done in public hospitals right now, as they wait for updated rules from the central government.
Chennai and Tamil Nadu See Covid-Like Illnesses Rising
In Tamil Nadu, 12 new Covid cases were reported in Puducherry. In Chennai, many fevers that were first thought to be the flu are now testing positive for Covid-19. Some hospitals have even delayed important surgeries to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
Dr Subramaniam Swaminathan from Gleneagles Healthcity said that earlier, most patients had influenza A or B, but now more are testing positive for Covid-19.
Dr T S Selvavinayagam, the state’s public health director, said there is no need to panic, but people should be careful in crowded places. He also reminded everyone that Covid has never completely gone away and tends to return in waves.
New Cases in Karnataka and Gujarat
Karnataka currently has 16 active Covid-19 cases, according to the state health minister. In Ahmedabad, Gujarat, seven new cases were reported in just one day — an unusual jump for the city, which has been averaging just one case per month. All these patients are in home isolation, and their samples are being tested to check for any new variant.
Covid Still Circulating, But Most Cases Are Mild
Even though the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the pandemic over in May 2023, the Covid virus is still spreading in many parts of the world.
In India, most new cases have been mild, and there have been no deaths or ICU admissions reported in this recent rise.
Doctors are advising elderly people, pregnant women, and those with health issues to be extra careful. Basic precautions like wearing masks in crowded places and washing hands often are still important. They also recommend getting a flu shot to reduce the risk of catching both flu and Covid at the same time.
