Covid-19 or coronavirus infection cases are making a comeback in India, with Kerala being the worst affected state recording 1416 positive cases.
Delhi recorded the highest single-day rise of 47 cases and one more death on June 1, 2025. The surge is coming more than five years after the WHO declared Covid-19 a pandemic.
India’s active COVID-19 cases stand at 4,026 according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Maharashtra and Gujarat are the most affected after Kerala, with 494 and 397 cases, respectively.
The country has recorded 32 Covid-related deaths since January 1, including four deaths reported in the past 24 hours. This surge in cases has been attributed to the emergence of a new variant, JN.1 which is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant.
The JN.1 variant has an extra mutation in its spike protein,which is the part of the virus that helps it attach to and enter human cells. Some reports indicate that JN.1 might spread faster than some previous variants, likely due to its distinct mutation, but the severity of infections is low, with most of the patients under home care.
Most states have started recording COVID-19 cases, which was not so until the month of May, when a clear pattern of rise was reported in the country. Medical experts and health officials continue to emphasise that most new infections have been mild, with symptoms such as fever, fatigue, sore throat, runny nose, and headache. Health officials are closely tracking its spread to assess its impact.
Union Minister of State for Health and AYUSH (Independent Charge), Prataprao Jadhav, told ANI that the infrastructure developed during the earlier COVID-19 waves has been reviewed and that preparations are underway to deal with any eventuality.
Citizens are urged to stay cautious, especially those with underlying health conditions or exhibiting symptoms of respiratory distress. Southeast Asian countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Thailand have also reported a spike in covid cases.