The Union Health Ministry on Monday said that the COVID-19 situation in India remains under control as of May 19, despite a recent uptick in active cases, which have risen to 257 nationwide.

“As per the preliminary information available, the cases are mostly mild, not associated with unusual severity or mortality,” said an official from the Ministry.

Advertisement

The government has heightened surveillance following a rise in COVID-19 infections reported from Singapore and Hong Kong in recent weeks, driven by a new Omicron subvariant similar to JN.1. While India has not seen a similar surge, authorities are monitoring the situation closely.

“The Union Health Ministry remains vigilant and proactive, ensuring that appropriate public health measures are in place,” the official noted.

To assess the current situation, the Ministry convened a high-level review meeting chaired by the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), with experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) division, Disaster Management Cell, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Central government hospitals in attendance.

Kerala currently reports the highest number of active COVID-19 cases at 69, followed by Maharashtra with 44 and Tamil Nadu with 34. Several other states and Union Territories — including Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, and Karnataka — have reported fewer than 10 active cases each.

According to official data, only one death linked to COVID-19 has been reported recently, from Kerala.

Officials emphasised that, given India’s large population, the number of active cases remains a very small fraction and does not indicate a larger public health concern at this stage.