Covid-19 cases rising: Here is what ICMR chief Rajiv Bahl said on existing immunity, severity of infections and more

As the Covid-19 cases are again rising in India, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General Dr Rajiv Bahl on Monday said the institution is monitoring the situation through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, which tracks cases nationwide.

The ICMR is focusing on three main factors: how transmissible the COVID-19 virus is, whether it is evading existing immunity, and whether it is a serious illness occurring even in people without comorbidities, said the director general.

Bahl told PTI Videos: “Cases have been rising, first in southern India, then in western India, and now in northern India. We are monitoring the situation through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), which tracks cases nationwide.”

He also said the council is looking at three key factors. First, how transmissible the virus is and how quickly cases are increasing. Second, whether it is evading existing immunity, whether natural or vaccine-induced. If a new variant emerges, it may affect previous immunity, but at the moment, there is nothing to be worried about. Third, we examine the percentage of severe cases, are we seeing serious illness even in people without comorbidities?”

Advising that there is no need for panic, Bahl further said: “So far, the severity remains low. There's no cause for panic. We should remain vigilant and always be prepared.”

On new Covid-19 variants, Dr Bahl also said: “The variants we have sequenced from South and West India are not much severe. 4 variants have been discovered - LF.7 series, XFG series, JN.1 series and NB.1.8.1 series in the same order. We are sequencing the samples from other areas to check for more new variants... The cases are not very severe and people should not worry, but only stay vigilant.”

New Covid Variants

According to INSACOG data, NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 variants of Covid have been detected in India.

As of May 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as Variants Under Monitoring, not as Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest. But these are the variants that are reportedly driving the rise in Covid cases in China and parts of Asia.

The Delhi government’s health department reported 104 active Covid-19 cases in the city on Monday.

Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh on Monday said Covid caused by the new variant has only shown symptoms of viral fever so far, and urged people not to panic.

The government has sent a health advisory to hospitals telling them to be prepared for any eventuality, but it was just a precautionary step and not a sign of alarm, he said.

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said there is no cause for concern, as most of the recent Covid-19 cases reported in the state involve only mild infections. However, he asserted that precautions still need to be taken.

"There are 47 active Covid-19 cases in the state, but no one is on a ventilator or oxygen support. All are in home isolation, and no one is in critical condition," Rao said.

RT-PCR kits will be supplied to all district and medical college hospitals starting Monday, Rao added.