India Sees Rise in COVID-19 Cases, Four New Variants Detected: ICMR Urges Caution, Not Panic
New Delhi, 26th May 2025: COVID-19 cases in India are steadily rising again, with the total number of active infections reaching 1,010. Kerala has emerged as the worst-affected state, reporting 430 active cases, followed by Maharashtra (209), Delhi (104), Gujarat (83), and Karnataka (47). Uttar Pradesh has reported 15 cases so far.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has confirmed the presence of four new variants in circulation across the country: LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1. These variants have been identified through genome sequencing of samples collected from South and West India.
“We are monitoring the situation closely. So far, the cases have not shown severe clinical outcomes, but we urge citizens to stay cautious,” said Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General of ICMR. He added that genome sequencing continues to track the evolution of these variants.
9 Deaths Linked to COVID-19, Many With Comorbidities
Amid the uptick in cases, nine COVID-19-related deaths have been reported across Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Karnataka.
In Jaipur, Rajasthan, two people died on Monday. One of them was found dead at the railway station, and later tested positive for COVID-19. Another, a 26-year-old admitted to a private hospital, succumbed to the virus; he also had tuberculosis.
Maharashtra has reported four deaths so far. A 21-year-old COVID patient died on Sunday at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Kalwa Hospital in Thane, where he had been undergoing treatment since May 22.
In Bengaluru, Karnataka, an 84-year-old man died on May 17 due to multi-organ failure. His COVID-19 report came positive a week later. Kerala has also recorded two COVID-19 deaths.
Meanwhile, Bihar reported its first case, with a 31-year-old man and a doctor from AIIMS Patna testing positive. In West Bengal, four new cases were confirmed, pushing the state’s active count to 12.
New Variants: What We Know So Far
According to ICMR, the JN.1 variant is currently the most common strain circulating in India, accounting for over 50% of the samples tested. It is followed by the BA.2 subvariant (26%) and Omicron sublineages (20%).
The JN.1 strain, a descendant of Omicron’s BA.2.86, was first detected in August 2023 and was declared a variant of interest by the World Health Organization (WHO) in December 2023. With over 30 mutations, JN.1 is known to weaken immune response, making reinfections possible, though most cases remain mild to moderate in severity.
Symptoms of JN.1 may last several days to weeks, and in some instances, could lead to long COVID—a condition in which symptoms persist even after recovery.
Meanwhile, the NB.1.8.1 variant, with spike protein mutations like A435S, V445H, and T478I, is believed to spread more rapidly and evade immunity developed from previous infections or vaccinations.
Although the WHO has not categorized these as variants of concern, it has placed them under surveillance due to their growing presence in Asia, including countries like China.
