Delhi’s COVID toll climbs to 3; India’s active cases touch 4,000

Amid a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, Delhi on Monday reported the death of a 22-year-old woman — the city’s third fatality linked to the virus in recent weeks. Unlike the previous two deaths, which involved older patients, the latest victim was relatively young and had a history of tuberculosis.

According to official data, the woman died of complications arising from bilateral lower respiratory tract infection, which severely damaged both her lungs. Though she had completed TB treatment in the past, she suffered from Post-Tuberculosis Lung Disease (PTLD)—a condition that leaves the lungs scarred and airways damaged, making recovery from infections harder.

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Meanwhile, three other COVID-19-related deaths were reported on Monday, one each from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala.

In Tamil Nadu, the deceased was a 25-year-old man with bronchial asthma who also suffered from severe acute tubular injury, a form of kidney damage that impairs the kidneys’ ability to filter waste from the blood, and was also found to be COVID-19 positive, according to official data.

According to an expert, even though COVID-19 was detected in the patient, his main health problems were asthma and kidney injury. Thus, COVID-19 infection was not the contributing factor to his illness or death.

“Although he tested positive for COVID-19, his infection was incidental and not the primary cause of death,” said Vikas Mittal, pulmonologist, director, Wellness Home Clinic and Sleep Centre, Paschim Vihar.

He said the 44-year-old man from Maharashtra passed away due to a combination of severe ARDS, dilated aortic regurgitation, and COVID-19 infection. He further explained that ARDS, or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, is a serious lung condition in which fluid builds up in the tiny air sacs of the lungs, leading to breathing difficulties and poor oxygen exchange. He pointed out that ARDS is a common complication in severe COVID-19 cases.

Additionally, the patient had a pre-existing heart condition, dilated aortic regurgitation, which Mittal explained refers to a heart valve disorder in which the aortic valve does not close properly, causing blood to leak back into the heart. Over time, this can enlarge the heart and weaken its function.

“The presence of COVID-19 in this case likely worsened the respiratory distress and contributed directly to the patient’s deterioration and death,” he added.

Details of the patient from Kerala are still awaited.

According to the central COVID-19 registry, India has reported 32 COVID-related deaths since January 2025. Kerala and Maharashtra have recorded the highest number of fatalities, with eight deaths each.

Delhi and Karnataka have reported four deaths each, while two deaths have been registered in both Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. One fatality each has been reported from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab.

The number of active COVID-19 cases is rising steadily, with 3,961 cases reported as of 8 am on June 2. Kerala continues to lead with 1,435 active cases, followed by Maharashtra with 506, and Delhi with 483, according to data released by the Union Health Ministry on Monday.