India's Active COVID-19 Cases Surpass 4,000; Kerala Most Affected

New Delhi, June 3 (PTI): India's active COVID-19 cases have surpassed the 4,000 mark, with Kerala identified as the most impacted state followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi, as per data released by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday.

Currently, the nation has 4,026 active COVID-19 cases, with five new fatalities recorded in the past 24 hours. Since January this year, the total number of deaths reported stands at 37.

On May 22, there were 257 active cases in the country, which saw an increase to 3,395 by May 31 and further rose to 4,026 cases.

Kerala leads with 1,446 active cases, followed by Maharashtra with 494, Gujarat with 397, and Delhi with 393 cases.

Five deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours: one each in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, and two in Maharashtra, according to the data.

Officials on May 31 indicated that the COVID-19 situation in India is under careful observation, emphasizing that the severity of infections is low, with most patients being cared for at home, indicating no cause for alarm.

Dr. Rajiv Behl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), stated on Monday that genome sequencing in western and southern regions has shown that the variants responsible for the current case increase are not severe and are subvariants of Omicron.

The identified subvariants of Omicron are LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1, with the first three being more prevalent.

"We are closely monitoring the situation. At this moment, while vigilance is important, there is no reason for undue concern," Dr. Behl stated.

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