Covid-19 Cases In India: The fear of coronavirus has returned to haunt with several Indian states, including Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra reporting a slight surge in new infections. Health authorities in these states have issued advisories asking people to maintain hygiene and wear face masks to avoid the further spread of the deadly infection, which has claimed over 5 lakh lives in India during its peak in 2020 and 2021.

As of May 19, data from the Ministry of Health shows that India has had 257 active COVID-19 cases with the JN.1 variant being the most common variant in circulation in India -- comprising 53 per cent of samples tested.

Gujarat recorded 15 new coronavirus cases, while three cases of Covid-19 infection were reported from Haryana's Gurugram and Faridabad. On Friday, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said the state had reported 273 Covid-19 cases in May. Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao confirmed that the state had 16 active Covid-19 cases, while Delhi logged 23 new Covid-19 cases till Thursday.

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The Union Health Ministry has also advised people not to panic and follow Covid-19-related SOPs. The health ministry said that it is monitoring the situation closely, ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to safeguard public health. While Covid-19 is now considered another type of viral infection, basic precautions such as hand hygiene, wearing masks in crowded areas and avoiding unnecessary gatherings are still encouraged, the Union Health Ministry said.

New Covid-19 Variant Detected In India

Amid reports of increasing Covid-19 cases in India, data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), showed the presence of NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 -- descendants of JN.1 Covid variant in the country. Data from the INSACOG, a consortium of 64 laboratories to monitor genomic variations of Covid virus, showed one case of NB.1.8.1 and four instances of the LF.7 type. While NB.1.8.1 was identified in April in Tamil Nadu, four cases of LF.7 were detected in Gujarat in May.

Covid-19 In India: States Issue Advisory After Fresh Cases

- Delhi Covid-19 Cases: The national capital has logged 23 new Covid-19 infections till Thursday, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh said on Friday, adding that the government is verifying the details of whether patients are residents of Delhi or have a travel history outside the city. The fresh infections in Delhi have been reported after three years, prompting the Delhi government to issue an advisory asking all hospitals to prepare for the availability of beds, oxygen, medicines and vaccines.

In its advisory to all Delhi government hospitals regarding COVID-19 preparedness, the health department asked health institutions to send all positive samples for genome sequencing to Lok Nayak Hospital. "The hospitals must ensure preparedness in terms of availability of beds, oxygen, antibiotics, other drugs and vaccines. All equipment such as ventilators, Bi-PAP, oxygen concentrators and PSA (prostate-specific antigen) must be in functional condition," it stated.

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According to the advisory, refresher training of dedicated staff may be conducted, and daily reporting of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in all health facilities (OPD/IPD) on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal must be ensured. Confirmed influenza and Covid-19 cases may also be reported on the IHIP under the L form. The advisory also states that respiratory etiquette is to be followed, including the wearing of masks on hospital premises and in health facilities.

- UP Covid-19 Cases: Uttar Pradesh's Noida on Saturday (May 24) reported its first case of Covid-19 after a 55-year-old woman tested positive. The woman has been placed under home quarantine, and the samples of her family members have been sent for testing. "The woman, who is under home quarantine, travelled on a train on May 14. Samples of her family members have been collected and sent for testing," Gautam Budh Nagar chief medical officer, Narendra Kumar, said.

Meanwhile, four people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Ghaziabad. While three of the infected individuals are currently in home isolation, one patient has been admitted to a private hospital.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday reviewed COVID-19 prepareddness in the state and reassured the public that there is no immediate cause for concern in the state; however, he emphasised that, given the global context, vigilance and precaution remain essential. CM Yogi also instructed relevant departments to begin preparations to prevent seasonal communicable diseases such as dengue, malaria, and kala-azar.

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Maharashtra Covid-19 Cases: Maharashtra recorded over 36 Covid-19 positive cases ssince past week, taking the total number of positive cases registered since January 2025 to 142. Of the 142 new cases, 126 are from Mumbai, while rest of the cases have been reported from Pune and Kolhapur.

Meanwhile, a COVID-19 patient has died while eight new cases of the viral infection were reported in Thane on Saturday. There are a total of 18 active COVID-19 patients in the city, Thane Municipal Corporation said, adding that only one of them is undergoing treatment at hospital while others are in home isolation. The condition of all of them was stated to be stable.

A 21-year-old man suffering from severe diabetes died due to "comorbidities" at the TMC's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital at Kalwa in the morning, the TMC said. He had been admitted on Thursday due to diabetes-related complications and his COVID-19 test came out positive on Friday night, said hospital superintendent Dr Aniruddha Malgaonkar.

The civic body has urged people not to panic and follow precautionary measures. The civic body has also made arrangements for potential hospital admissions if needed. "The health machinery is fully prepared, and constant monitoring is underway," the TMC release stated.

Karnataka Covid-19 Cases: A total of 35 Covid-19 cases have been reported in Karnataka till Friday, with a slight rise over the last 15 days. Of the total, 32 cases have been reported in Bengaluru alone. According to Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, while there is a slight uptick in cases in the state and in Bengaluru, there is no cause for concern. "There is nothing to be alarmed about. It's a very normal situation," he said.

ALSO READ: Delhi Issues Advisory To Hospitals After 23 Covid-19 Cases Detected In National Capital

The Karnataka Health Department has also issued an advisory and said that the general public must comply with Covid-19 appropriate behaviour proactively. In its advisory, it said that pregnant women, children, immunocompromised persons and those with comorbid conditions wear face masks while visiting crowded areas. Steps like using hand sanitisers may also be followed, and those with Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses (SARI) must consider getting tested for Covid-19 for timely treatment and to check further spread of Covid-19.

Uttarakhand Covid-19 Cases: The Uttarakhand health authorities have issued a high alert after three women tests positive for Covid-19 in AIIMS Rishikesh. The three women who tested positive include a doctor from AIIMS Rishikesh. According to officials, the individuals recently travelled to Uttarakhand from other states.

"Three COVID patients have been reported in the AIIMS... One has been discharged. Another patient is one of our residents. She has been kept in isolation. Another patient is from Gujarat who came here for the Badrinath Yatra," AIIMS Rishikesh Dr Meenu Singh said.

ALSO READ: Covid-19 In Haryana: Gurugram Reports 2 New Cases, One Infected In Faridabad; Health Dept Says, ‘No Need To Panic’

Dr Singh also mentioned that this variant of COVID is not very harmful, but people should be cautious. "The state has kept us on alert. We have implemented COVID-appropriate behaviour in our institute. This variant is not very harmful, but if someone has any comorbidities, then they should get themselves checked," she said.

Andhra Pradesh Covid-19 Cases: Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav on Friday confirmed that four new COVID-19 cases were reported in the state within the past 24 hours—three in Visakhapatnam and one in the Rayalaseema region.

He said the first case in Visakhapatnam involved a woman who tested positive on Thursday, followed by one of her family members and a postgraduate medical student who tested positive on Friday. The minister noted that the initial patient in the port city had no recent travel history.