India is witnessing a renewed surge in Covid-19 infections, with 269 fresh cases and nine deaths reported in the past 24 hours, pushing the national active caseload to 7,400, according to data released by the Union Health Ministry.
Karnataka emerged as the worst-hit state in this latest uptick, logging 132 new cases—the highest single-day spike. Gujarat followed with 79 cases, while Kerala recorded 54.
Other contributors to the rise include Madhya Pradesh (20), Tamil Nadu (12), and Sikkim (11). Several states, including Punjab, West Bengal, and Mizoram, reported no new infections during the same period.
The death toll also rose, with Maharashtra reporting four fatalities, Kerala three, and one each from Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. These bring the country’s Covid-related death toll for 2025 to 87.
Despite the surge, recoveries continue to outpace new cases. A total of 991 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours, taking the cumulative number of recoveries to 11,967.
Kerala continues to carry the heaviest active caseload at 2,109 cases, followed by Gujarat (1,437), Delhi (672), Maharashtra (613), and Karnataka (527). Other states with notable numbers include Uttar Pradesh (248), Tamil Nadu (232), and Rajasthan (180).
Fresh clusters in Manipur and Rajasthan
Manipur, which had been relatively quiet, reported five new cases on Friday, with infections identified in Imphal East and Imphal West. Out of 15 samples tested in the state, a third turned out positive—raising concern among health authorities.
Rajasthan, meanwhile, is witnessing a consistent trend of 30–35 new infections daily. One Covid-related death was reported in the state on Friday.
“The deceased had tuberculosis as a comorbidity,” confirmed Dr. Ravi Prakash Sharma, State Director of Health Services. “We have adequate medicine supplies and necessary hospital infrastructure in place.”
Health authorities urge renewed caution
The fresh rise in cases—especially from southern and western India—has prompted health experts to call for stepped-up surveillance, genomic sequencing of variants, and intensified vaccination campaigns.
While the overall numbers remain far below previous pandemic waves, officials caution against complacency, pointing to the possibility of newer variants fueling localized outbreaks.
