India has recorded a concerning uptick in COVID-19 cases, with 769 new infections reported over the past 48 hours, pushing the country’s active case count to 6,133, according to data released by the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.
Kerala remains the most impacted state, followed by Gujarat, West Bengal, and Delhi, ministry officials said. Despite the rise in numbers, health authorities emphasized that most cases are mild and manageable through home care.
In response to the resurgence, the Centre is conducting nationwide mock drills to assess facility-level preparedness and has instructed all states to ensure the availability of oxygen supplies, isolation beds, ventilators, and essential medicines.
Since January 2025, India has reported 65 COVID-related deaths, including six fatalities in the last 24 hours. The spike in active cases marks a significant jump from just 257 active cases reported on May 22.
A series of review meetings were held on June 2 and 3, chaired by Dr. Sunita Sharma, Director General of Health Services, to evaluate the current situation and readiness of the healthcare infrastructure. The meetings included representatives from the Disaster Management Cell, ICMR, NCDC, IDSP, central hospitals, and officials from all states and Union Territories.
The government is also closely monitoring Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases through state and district surveillance units under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP).
As per current guidelines:
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All admitted SARI cases must be tested for COVID-19
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5% of ILI cases should be randomly tested
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Positive SARI samples are being sent for Whole Genome Sequencing through the ICMR’s VRDL network
Officials continue to urge the public to practice COVID-appropriate behaviour, including mask usage in crowded places, hand hygiene, and prompt medical consultation in case of symptoms.
