Why Are COVID-19 Cases Rising in India? All About the New Fast-spreading Sub-variants

 

Cases of COVID-19 are rising across India, the central health ministry has confirmed, with several states issuing advisories regarding the spread of coronavirus infection. The Centre has alerted all states and has asked them to remain vigilant and initiate preventive measures.

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Covid cases rise in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Gurgaon; hospitals on alert

 

COVID-19 cases are witnessing a gradual uptick across major Indian cities, with Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru reporting new infections after months of relative calm. While authorities stress there's no cause for panic, hospitals have been put on alert and safety advisories have been reissued.

Covid in Delhi

Delhi has reported 23 new COVID-19 cases—the first notable spike in nearly three years. Health Minister Pankaj Singh said all patients are stable with mild, flu-like symptoms. He added that a special monitoring team has been formed and all hospitals have been asked to ensure bed, oxygen, and medicine availability.

Hospitals are also required to report daily COVID-19 data and send positive samples for genome sequencing.

Covid in Mumbai

Mumbai has recorded 95 COVID-19 cases so far in May, a steep rise compared to Maharashtra’s total of 106 since January. At least 16 patients have been hospitalised, and transfers from KEM to Seven Hills Hospital are underway to control the spread. Authorities have mandated testing for all SARI and ILI cases.

Covid in Bengaluru

In Karnataka, 32 of the 35 active cases are from Bengaluru. A nine-month-old baby has tested positive and is being treated at Vani Vilas Hospital. Health officials say cases have been rising steadily over the past 20 days and are urging the public to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour, especially high-risk groups.

Covid in Gurgaon

Haryana has reported four new Covid-19 cases, with two each in Gurgaon and Faridabad, all involving patients with no recent international travel history. The state's health minister, Arti Singh Rao, said the health department is monitoring the situation closely to ensure public safety and preparedness.

All four patients — two men and two women — have mild symptoms and are under home quarantine with regular medical supervision. The minister added that there is no cause for panic at this time.

No need to panic—but stay cautious

Doctors across cities say the current variant, likely a sub-variant of JN.1, is highly transmissible but causes mostly mild symptoms. Still, they recommend mask-wearing in crowded places, maintaining hygiene, and staying up to date with booster vaccinations.

With sporadic surges being seen across Gujarat, Kerala, Haryana and now major metros, the health departments are ramping up surveillance and readiness.

Doctors issue warning over dangerous new Covid strain in China

 

• READ MORE: Urgent warning over a new Covid variant spreading

A new Covid variant behind a surge of hospitalizations in China has been detected in the US.

Latest CDC data shows the new NB.1.8.1 strain has been detected among international travelers arriving in California, Washington state, Virginia and New York City.

The patients came from nine countries — China, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, France, the Netherlands and Spain  — between April 22 and May 12.

The variant has also been detected in Hawaii, Rhode Island and Ohio. 

There is some alarm over the new variant which is potentially more infectious than the current dominant strains. 

In China, data shows the proportion of severely ill respiratory patients with Covid has jumped from 3.3 to 6.3 percent over the last month.

The proportion of Chinese ER patients testing positive for Covid had jumped from 7.5 to 16.2 percent.

Officials in Taiwan are also reporting a surge in Covid emergency room admissions, with the number rising 78 percent in a week over the seven-days to May 3, according to the latest data available.

And hospitalizations have risen to a 12-month high in Hong Kong, thought to be driven by the new variant. Officials are telling people to mask up as a result.

The variant has been circulating in the US since late March.

But there is no sign of a major uptick in cases at present — with the positivity rate of swabs detecting the virus falling 12 percent in the latest week data is available.

In this program, travelers at select airports can volunteer to self-collect two nasal swab samples and complete a short survey.

These swabs are then tested for a range of diseases of concern, including Covid. 

The travelers behind the cases of the new variant were tested between April 22 and May 12.

Experts are closely watching the new variant, which is already dominant in China and is on the rise in parts of Asia.

In Taiwan, there were 19,097 visits for Covid last week, the latest available — and the NB.1.8.1 variant has become dominant in the country. 

Early research from China suggests the NB.1.8.1 variant is better at binding to human cells, making it more infectious.

In a notice from Hong Kong released last week, officials again urged people to wear face masks in public places if they were at high risk from an infection.

And they urged the public to wear a face mask when traveling on public transportation or staying in crowded areas.

The FDA held a meeting Thursday on whether to update the Covid vaccines, where the strain came up multiple times.

Currently, the latest vaccines target the JN.1 variant and its descendants. Data currently suggests that the LP.8.1 variant is dominant in the US — which is a descendant of JN.1.

At the meeting, CDC and FDA officials told the panel that only one strain — called XFC — has been significantly growing in the US.

Woman tests positive for Covid in Visakhapatnam

 

VISAKHAPATNAM: A fresh Covid-19 positive case has been reported in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, health authorities confirmed. The patient, a 28-year-old woman from Pithapuram Colony, underwent testing after showing symptoms such as fever and cold. The test results confirmed a positive case of Covid-19.

District Medical and Health Officer (DMHO) Dr P Jagadeeswara Rao confirmed the case, stating, “Yes, a positive case has been registered, and the patient is currently doing well under medical supervision.”

He emphasised that there is no need for public panic as these are isolated cases. “Even in the last couple of years, we had a few isolated cases, but the situation remained under control. Currently, we are actively screening fever cases as a precautionary measure.”

Dr Rao also advised the public to continue following basic hygiene and safety protocols.

NASA issues alert: Eiffel Tower-sized asteroid to make 'close encounter' with Earth at 30,000 km/h this weekend

 

A colossal asteroid the size of a 100-storey building is barreling past Earth this weekend in a high-speed flyby that's captured the full attention of NASA's asteroid trackers. Named 387746 (2003 MH4), the space rock spans 335 metres and will zip past Earth at 4:07 PM IST on May 24, travelling at a blistering 30,060 km/h — fast enough to orbit the planet in just over an hour. NASA has classified the flyby as a “close encounter,” and though the asteroid poses no threat of collision, its immense size and speed have put scientists on alert.

Belonging to the Apollo group of asteroids — those with orbits that cross Earth’s path — 2003 MH4 will pass at a distance of 6.67 million kilometres, or about 17 times the Earth-Moon distance. That’s close enough to earn the "Potentially Hazardous Asteroid" tag, given its size exceeds 140 metres and it comes within the 7.5 million kilometre threshold.

The concern isn’t this flyby, but what future trajectories might hold. Even minor gravitational nudges from planets or subtle forces like the Yarkovsky effect, where sunlight slowly alters an asteroid’s path, could redirect such objects over time. “This weekend’s sighting is a warning, not a threat,” stated NASA’s Centre for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS).

Just days earlier, on May 21, a smaller asteroid named 2025 KF made an even closer pass — just 111,000 kilometres from Earth, or less than a third of the distance to the Moon. Discovered only this year, the 23-metre-wide rock drew comparisons to a stack of twelve and a half gorillas in height, according to a whimsical WWF-based analogy.

Despite its size, 2025 KF is being treated seriously. Many space rocks are not solid but “rubble piles” — loose clusters of debris held together by gravity, which can shift or disintegrate under planetary influence. “If one of these rocks ever hit Earth, the destruction would be enormous,” experts warn. The impact could rival thousands of nuclear bombs, unleashing fires, tsunamis, and seismic shocks, followed by dust clouds that might block sunlight and trigger a so-called “impact winter.”

CNEOS and other observatories continue to scan the skies, not only to detect new threats early but also to develop strategies for deflecting or destroying them if needed. For now, this flyby is a cosmic near-miss — and a potent reminder that in space, safety is never guaranteed.

Vijayawada To Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express: Train Will Cover 713 Km In 9 Hours; Check Route, Other Details

 

Vande Bharat News: With Vande Bharat transforming the train travel in India, India Railways is set to launch a Vande Bharat Express train between Vijayawada and Bengaluru. The semi-high-speed train service is expected to be launched soon. The current travel time of 12 hours is expected to be reduced to 9 hours between the two key cities,  offering a more convenient and faster travel option for the passengers.

Vijayawada To Bengaluru Vande Bharat Express: Route And Timing

The Vandebharat Express will consist of eight coaches—seven AC Chair Cars and one Executive Chair Car. According to an ETV report, the proposed train will run 6 days a week, excluding Tuesday. 

Vijayawada-Bengaluru Vande Bharat Timing

Train n. 20711, starting the journey from Vijayawada towards Bengaluru, will depart at 5:15 am, stopping at Tenali (5:39 am), Ongole (6:28 am), Nellore (7:43 am), Tirupati (9:45 am), Chittoor (10:27 am), Katpadi (11:13 am), and reaching Krishnarajapuram at 1:38 pm before arriving at SMVT Bengaluru station at 2:15 pm.

Bengaluru-Vijayawada Vande Bharat Timing

Train No. 20712, beginning its journey from Bengaluru, will return on the same day at 2:45 pm from SMVT Bengaluru, covering stations like Krishnarajapuram (2:58 pm), Katpadi (5:23 pm), Chittoor (5:49 pm), Tirupati (6:55 pm), Nellore (8:18 pm), Ongole (9:29 pm), Tenali (10:42 pm), and concluding at Vijayawada railway station at 11:45 pm.

With the Machilipatnam-Yesvantpur Kondaveedu Express, currently, passengers travelling between Vijayawada and Bengaluru have only one direct rail link, operating three times a week. It is anticipated that the proposed Vande Bharat Express will bridge this gap, offering a faster and more comfortable travel experience for passengers.

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Heavy rain alert in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana as cyclone approaches; 4 districts on high alert

     

Heavy rains are lashing the Telugu states. The Meteorological Department has announced that they are likely to continue for a few more days. They are warning of particularly heavy downpours in four districts. So people there need to be careful.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Weather: Usually, May is scorching hot, but the current situation is entirely different. Looking at the weather in the southern states, including the Telugu states, one wonders if it's summer or monsoon season. It's not just drizzling; it's raining heavily, like in the middle of the monsoon season, causing floods. It's like, 'What kind of rain is this?!' in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The IMD has warned that the current rains are not enough and are likely to continue for a few more days. The Hyderabad Meteorological Center is also warning of heavy to very heavy rains in Telangana. They said that the trough and surface circulation are currently continuing, and there are chances of a low-pressure area forming in the Bay of Bengal till the 27th of this month. The Meteorological Department has warned that heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur in Telangana due to the addition of southwest monsoons.

The Meteorological Department is warning of very heavy rainfall in some districts while it is expected to rain across Telangana. The IMD has warned of heavy rains in Nizamabad, Jagtial, Mancherial, and Kumuram Bheem districts. They said there are chances of thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds. An orange alert has been issued for these districts... A yellow alert has been issued as there is a possibility of rain in other districts as well.

Heavy rains have been lashing Hyderabad for the past two or three days. Traffic is being disrupted as the roads are getting flooded with rainwater. The people in the low-lying areas are facing severe difficulties as flood water enters their homes. There is some relief for the people of Hyderabad who are suffering from heavy rains today (Friday). The Meteorological Department has said that there is no chance of rain in the city, and even if it rains, there will only be light showers.

As for Andhra Pradesh, a low pressure has formed in the Arabian Sea, and the Meteorological Department is warning that it is likely to intensify into a cyclone. They warned that heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur due to the low pressure in the Bay of Bengal and monsoons.

The Meteorological Department has warned of heavy to very heavy rains in coastal Andhra districts and Yanam. They said that there could be widespread rains in the Rayalaseema region as well. Even if it doesn't rain in other areas, the weather will cool down due to cloud cover.

The intensity of gusty winds in AP is expected to be high, with winds blowing at 30-60 kmph in many places and strong winds up to 70 kmph in some places. So the Disaster Management Organization is warning people to be alert.