COVID-19 cases in India nears 4,000; 32 deaths reported
What's the story
India has witnessed a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases, with the active case count nearing 4,000.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported an increase from 3,758 to 3,961 active cases on Monday (June 2).
West Bengal saw the biggest spike with a jump of 82 new cases. Delhi, Kerala, and Gujarat also witnessed significant increases.
State statistics
Kerala reports highest number of active cases, Maharashtra records deaths
Overall, Kerala has the highest number of active COVID-19 cases in India, with 1,435.
Maharashtra follows with a total case count of 506 and eight deaths
Delhi has also seen a rise in cases, now at 483 active infections.
In Gujarat, the tally reached 338 after an addition of 18 new infections on June 2.
Fatalities update
Deaths rise to 32, Kerala and Karnataka report new fatalities
The death toll due to COVID-19 in India has risen to 32 after four fresh fatalities were reported.
The surge in cases is being attributed to the highly transmissible COVID-19 variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7.
Health officials have advised residents to remain calm but stressed the importance of maintaining hygiene in crowded places, as adults with underlying illnesses who are unvaccinated remain more vulnerable to these new strains of the virus.
Ongoing trends
Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh see steady increase in cases
Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh have also been witnessing a steady rise in COVID-19 cases, with 189 and 157 active infections, respectively.
Meanwhile, Sikkim has recorded only four cases so far, which is an outlier compared to the national trend.
The health ministry's COVID-19 dashboard also revealed that 370 patients recovered from the infection or got discharged in the last 24 hours, bringing the total discharged to 2,188.
Preparedness assurance
Health authorities assure preparedness for potential COVID-19 surge
Amid rising concerns over variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7, health authorities have assured that the medical infrastructure is ready to tackle a possible COVID-19 surge in India.
Experts have advised people to keep an eye out for symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, nausea, digestive issues, and throat pain.
If these symptoms last more than four days, they recommend getting an RT-PCR test done immediately to curb further spread of the virus.