The rise in COVID-19 cases has been described as increasingly severe and intensive by member (health) of the NITI Aayog V.K. Paul, as India reported 56,211 new cases in the past 24 hours. Dr. Paul stated that 10 districts across India, notably including Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Thane, Nashik, Aurangabad, and Bengaluru Urban, currently have the highest active COVID caseload. These cases also involve 855 instances of virus variants.
During a press conference, Dr. Paul emphasized the need to take all measures to contain the virus and save lives, particularly with most cases being asymptomatic. As offices, schools, and malls have reopened, the risk of contamination is heightened, making it crucial to maintain healthy indoor air quality to prevent such spread.
Additionally, more than 200 cases of a double mutant (E484Q + L452R) virus have been detected in Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, and other parts of the country. The E484Q mutation is capable of evading the body’s immunity, and the L452R mutation has greater infectivity. The treatment protocol for those testing positive has not been altered as research continues on the impact of these new mutations.
What is causing this second wave in India?
While scientists have yet to confirm if these new variants are the cause of the second wave, experts agree that people’s complacency and deviation from COVID-appropriate behavior are significant factors in the spike. When the number of positive cases was declining until mid-February, some experts theorized that the decline was due to a large portion of the Indian population having already been exposed to the virus, developing antibodies against it after having asymptomatic COVID, and recovering.
The current surge in cases has led to increased hospitalizations across the country. Dr. Himanshu Reddy, in charge of the COVID facility at King George Medical College, Lucknow, notes that there has been a significant increase in patient admissions. While the handling of severe cases has improved, the highly transmissible nature of the virus is a cause for concern. Dr. Himanshu emphasizes the importance of avoiding overwhelming the healthcare system with a massive number of cases.
