India is Witnessing Surge in COVID-19 Cases, Should You Be Worried?

Over the past couple of weeks, there has been a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in India and worldwide. India has in fact recorded around 3800 new COVID-19 cases on 2nd April 2023, which is the highest in the last 184 days and 27% more than the previous day. The data is a clear indication of how the COVID-19 cases are increasing at an alarming rate. This rapid increase in COVID-19 cases has resulted in the active caseload of COVID-19 going up to approximately 19,000. Moreover, the total number of COVID-19 cases now has risen to 4.47 crores. This surge is a matter of worry for all of us and an indication that COVID-19 is not yet over.

With the rapid increase in the COVID-19 cases, there has also been an increase in the number of deaths due to COVID-19. On the previous day, there had been a total of 5 deaths, reportedly from Delhi, Kerala, Haryana, and Rajasthan. The surge has been witnessed due to the new variant of Omicron, XBB.1.16 which was first detected in Pune, in February. Ever since then the number of active cases has been increasing at almost all the different corners of the country. This new variant of SARS-CoV2 is also prevalent in other countries apart from India which includes Singapore, United States, China, and more. It is also important to not confuse COVID-19 with the H3N2 influenza and focus more and more on the testing of coronavirus infection to reduce a further spread.

The symptoms of the new variant of COVID-19, XBB.1.16 remains the same including runny nose, fever, cough, and others. A thing of relief is that there are very few people who need hospitalisation for the treatment of the XBB.1.16 variant. Furthermore, people with pre-existing diseases such as diabetes, kidney, and hypertension, are at higher risk of being infected with a new variant of Coronavirus as compared to others.

So, to control the spread of COVID-19, it is necessary to adhere to social distancing norms, wear masks, as well as take other preventive measures. It is also important to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and complete all the necessary doses of vaccination. And if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19, it is best to consult a medical practitioner and get tested at the earliest. You can also buy a number of health insurance plans that provide coverage for COVID-19 to get financial protection in case you are infected with the new Omicron variant, XBB.1.16.

Disclaimer

This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.