India reported 609 new COVID-19 cases, active tally at 3,368

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India has recorded 609 new COVID-19 cases, while the number of active cases of the infection has declined to 3,368, the health ministry said on Friday, reported news agency PTI.

Three deaths -- two in Kerala and one in Karnataka -- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases began to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions, reported PTI.

After December 5, 841 new COVID-19 cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said, reported PTI.

Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation, reported PTI.

"The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated, reported PTI.

India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021, reported PTI.

At its peak, 4,14,188 new COVID-19 cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021.

Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have got infected and over 5.3 lakh have died since then across the country.

The number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore with a national recovery rate of 98.81 per cent, according to the ministry's website, reported PTI.

According to the website, 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccines have so far been administered in the country.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 has spread to 15 states and Union territories with a total of 923 cases of the infection reported so far, according to the INSACOG, reported PTI.

Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed Karnataka has reported the highest number of cases at 214, followed by Maharashtra (170), Kerala (154), Andhra Pradesh (105), Gujarat (76) and Goa (66), reported PTI.

Telangana and Rajasthan have recorded 32 JN.1 cases each, Chhattisgarh has recorded 25, Tamil Nadu 22, Delhi 16, Haryana five, Odisha three, West Bengal two and Uttarakhand one, reported PTI.

Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating a mild illness, officials said, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)