From Kerala to UP, Covid sets off a quiet alarm

The Covid wave that recently surfaced in Southeast Asia appears to be gradually spreading to India.

- SHINE JACOB & SANKET KOUL

States like Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha have issued directives to officials and the public while scaling up testing efforts. However, officials say the Centre has yet to issue any advisory on the current wave or booster doses.

While there is no panic, hospitals and local authorities have been told to increase testing capacity.

According to state officials, Omicron sub-variants JN.1, LF.7, and NB.1.8 are now causing concern in India as well. These strains are highly transmissible, although symptoms remain mild. The World Health Organization has not issued any advisory yet, despite the virus spreading across Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand. Maharashtra, meanwhile, is reportedly seeing clusters of new cases.

As with earlier outbreaks, Kerala has moved first, issuing updated guidelines urging mask use and caution, especially for high-risk/vulnerable groups, and activating its rapid response team. The state has reported about 182 new Covid cases so far in May.