New Delhi, May 30 – India is witnessing a renewed rise in COVID-19 infections, prompting several states to step up preventive measures, including increased testing, stockpiling of medical supplies, and reopening of dedicated hospital wards, officials said on Thursday.
The recent surge, attributed to circulating Omicron subvariants such as LF.7, XFG, JN.1, and NB.1.8.1, has led to a rise in outpatient visits with patients reporting mild symptoms, according to health officials and doctors.
Common symptoms include low-grade fever, dry cough, nasal congestion, hoarseness, body aches, fatigue, and mild gastrointestinal issues such as nausea or diarrhoea. While similar to seasonal flu, doctors say loss of taste or smell remains a distinguishing feature of COVID-19.
“Both flu and COVID-19 can present similar respiratory symptoms, but loss of taste and smell is more specific to COVID,” said Dr. Dhiraj Bhattad of Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai. Amid rising influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), public health authorities have intensified surveillance and testing, particularly in urban clusters.
Municipal officials in Navi Mumbai said they are ensuring sufficient stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE), oxygen supplies, and essential medicines. In Haryana, hospitals have been directed to establish “flu corners,” maintain isolation beds, and bolster diagnostic capacity.
The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh has activated special COVID-19 wards, including ICU and high-dependency units.
While the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said the circulating variants are associated with mild illness, health experts have urged continued vigilance, especially among vulnerable populations such as the elderly and immunocompromised.
“Most new variant cases are mild, but we must protect high-risk individuals,” said Dr. Sanjay Jain, dean of research at PGIMER. “Avoid crowded places, wear masks in hospitals, and do not self-medicate with antibiotics or steroids.”
India had largely brought COVID-19 under control following earlier waves of the pandemic, but sporadic rises in cases have continued to challenge the healthcare system during seasonal illness peaks. Authorities have reiterated the importance of early medical consultation in cases of fever, cough, breathing trouble, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Hand hygiene and mask-wearing remain key preventive measures.
