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Kerala is closely monitoring the escalating COVID-19 situation, as the state currently has highest active caseload amid the recent surge across India.
Health authorities have indicated that the patients have mild infections, with a majority receiving care at home. There is no reason for widespread alarm, they added.
India currently has 4,026 active cases, with Kerala reporting the highest at 1,416 active cases, followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal, according to the COVID-19 dashboard of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), as of 8 am June 3, 2025.
Despite the current low incidence of active illnesses nationwide compared to the past, health professionals in Kerala are advising people to exercise caution.
This recommendation arises due to recurrent regional surges and the circulation of the highly transmissible JN.1 variant.
In the past 24 hours, five fatalities have been recorded nationwide, with two in Maharashtra and one each in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, according to MoHFW's June 3 update at 8am.
Experts assert that the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India mirrors a broader trend in Southeast Asia. Countries such as Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Thailand are experiencing a surge in infections. This increase is primarily attributed to the JN.1 lineage of the Omicron variant, as well as more recent variants such as LF.7 and NB.1.8.
The escalating monsoon season in Kerala also heightens apprehensions regarding the likelihood of infectious disease epidemics, notably a further surge in COVID-19 transmission, especially within relief centres for people impacted by the torrential rains.
Although rain does not directly influence the transmission of COVID-19, the virus can proliferate rapidly in enclosed settings, such as rehabilitation camps, where maintaining social distancing and isolation becomes challenging.
In response to these developments, the state health department has issued a specific warning, encouraging the adoption of all feasible preventive measures in monsoon relief camps to mitigate the danger of heightened COVID-19 transmission.
COVID-19 cases in the state have surged markedly due to the escalating prevalence of the Omicron BA. 1 variant and its sub-lineages BA. 1.1, BA. 1.2 and BA. 1.3.
At present, a majority of cases are documented in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Ernakulam and Alappuzha.
Despite these virus variations not causing severe sickness, their significant transmissibility presents concerns to vulnerable groups, including the elderly, young children, pregnant women and persons with preexisting health issues.
Kerala's Health Minister Veena George has issued directives emphasising the necessity of wearing masks and maintaining hand hygiene to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, particularly in relief camps. The health department emphasised that these precautions are crucial in such environments.
People in the camps displaying respiratory symptoms, including rhinorrhea (runny nose), cough or dyspnoea should wear masks. Individuals exhibiting new symptoms should notify health authorities. Individuals confirmed to have COVID-19 will receive treatment according to recognised standards.
Moreover, the rainy season heightens the danger of additional infectious diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, leptospirosis and Hepatitis A, which must also be managed in relief camps.
The health department has instructed local medical teams to attend relief camps to ensure ailing individuals receive appropriate care and essential medications. Relief workers and volunteers potentially exposed to stagnant rainwater should administer doxycycline as a prophylactic against leptospirosis.
The campgrounds must be maintained in a clean condition to avert the proliferation of mosquitoes. The health department recommended supplying only boiling water for drinking purposes in relief camps.
In light of the surge in COVID-19 cases, both public and private hospitals across the state have reinstated preventive procedures. They have created specialised wards and intensive care facilities solely for COVID-19 patients to minimise the transmission of the virus by cross-infection. A screening approach has been established for symptomatic patients, especially those in high-risk groups.
Sunny P Orathel, medical superintendent of Rajagiri Group of Hospitals in Ernakulam, declared that the institution had adopted a segregation policy. Specific rooms in each block and distinct intensive care unit cubicles have been allocated for COVID-19 patients.
Testing for COVID-19 is not obligatory for patients with fever and individuals who test positive without severe symptoms are discharged, informed Orathel. Only patients with comorbidities who test positive are hospitalised to avert consequences, he added.
Certain hospitals are currently providing antiviral drugs to inpatients who have tested positive for COVID-19. These patients generally exhibit elevated fever, pharyngitis, persistent diarrhoea for up to two days and prolonged tiredness.
A Rajalakshmi, a senior specialist in the department of infectious diseases at KIMSHEALTH in Thiruvananthapuram, remarked, "We evaluate all symptomatic patients, especially those with immunocompromised conditions or additional risk factors."
Fortunately, a majority of the infections are mild, she added. “We have specialised sections, along with well-equipped ICUs, to attend to individuals necessitating hospital care.”
Hussain Koya Thangal, head of the Kerala Private Hospitals’ Association, underscored that while individual hospitals are adhering to stringent standards in regions with elevated transmission rates, the government has not issued new protocols. “Hospitals are complying with the current standard operating procedures,” he asserted.
PS Shajahan, a professor of pulmonary medicine at the Government TD Medical College in Alappuzha, elucidated that the present variety is designated as a "variant of interest" rather than a "variant of concern."
The Health Minister has emphasised that individuals exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms must immediately inform the health department. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must comply with the prescribed treatment measures.
Meanwhile, MoHFW officials have informed the public that the present circumstances are manageable. They also emphasised the importance of maintaining fundamental preventive measures. Public health authorities are urging states to improve genome sequencing and clinical surveillance via INSACOG, India's genomic collaboration.
“This moment necessitates readiness rather than hysteria. Although total eradication of the virus is impractical, we can manage our responses judiciously. Essential techniques encompass monitoring, prompt actions and safeguarding at-risk groups. Resilience, rather than fear, should inform our public health strategy moving forward,” stated public health specialist NM Arun.