As Covid-19 cases gradually increase across India, the Delhi Government has issued a Covid advisory urging hospitals in the national capital to remain fully prepared. Hospitals have been directed to ensure the availability of beds, oxygen cylinders, Covid testing kits, and vaccines.
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh assured citizens there is no need to panic, stating that the latest Covid-19 variant behaves much like the common flu. “As of yesterday, a total of 23 Covid cases have been reported in Delhi. The Delhi Government is verifying whether these patients are city residents or have come from outside. We are fully coordinated with all medical superintendents, doctors, and teams. There is no cause for alarm,” Singh said in a video message.
Delhi: Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh says, "As of yesterday, a total of 23 COVID cases have been reported in Delhi… The Delhi government is currently verifying whether these patients of Delhi or have come from outside the city. In terms of preparedness, we have already… pic.twitter.com/lcTNYLjKnQ
— IANS (@ians_india) May 23, 2025
In fact, Delhi has reported coronavirus cases (23) for the first time in three years, PTI reported.
Key points from the Covid Advisory:
- Hospitals must upload daily data on Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases to the Integrated Health Information Platform.
- Refresher training for dedicated hospital staff has been advised.
- Daily reporting on all health parameters must be ensured via the Delhi State Health Data Management Portal.
- Covid testing should follow official guidelines, with 5 per cent of ILI cases and 100 per cent of SARI cases undergoing testing.
- Positive Covid-19 samples must be sent for genome sequencing to Lok Nayak Hospital to enable early detection of new variants. Hospitals must also report the number of samples sent to the State Surveillance Unit.
- Mask-wearing in hospitals and healthcare facilities is recommended as a precaution.
Rising concerns over new subvariants
The recent uptick in cases is believed to be driven by new Covid-19 subvariants OF.7 and NB.1.8 — both descendants of the JN.1 Omicron lineage. While JN.1 is categorized as a “variant of interest” by the WHO, its subvariants are being closely monitored for their increased transmission potential.
Health experts cite several factors contributing to the surge:
- Increased transmissibility of the new variants
- Waning population immunity
- Reduced effectiveness of earlier vaccines
- Higher levels of social interaction
- Lax adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour
Why are Covid cases rising again?
According to health experts, the recent rise in Covid-19 cases isn’t due to a single cause — it’s a combination of several factors coming together. The new variants spreading now are more contagious, and over time, people’s immunity has weakened. Add to that the reduced effectiveness of older vaccines, increased travel and gatherings, and the public letting their guard down when it comes to basic precautions like mask-wearing and hand hygiene.
Officials are urging people to stay alert. The Covid advisory strongly recommends Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially in crowded places, to limit the risk of transmission.
Global context and precautionary measures
The Covid advisory comes amid similar spikes in other parts of Asia, including Singapore and Hong Kong, both major commercial hubs. Singapore’s health ministry noted that while rising case numbers may reflect declining immunity, current variants do not appear more dangerous than earlier ones.
Authorities continue to stress the importance of Covid-appropriate behaviour, especially in crowded settings. Regular hand hygiene, mask usage in healthcare settings, and avoiding unnecessary exposure remain critical.
“While the increase in cases could be due to factors including waning population immunity, there is no indication that the circulating variants are more transmissible – or cause more severe cases – than during the pandemic,” it said.
Besides Delhi, the slow return of Covid has prompted States and UTs Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh to put hospitals on alert. Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have all reported fresh cases this month.
Delhi-NCR cities like Noida and Ghaziabad have also registered coronavirus cases. On Saturday, Noida reported the first Covid patient (55) in the ongoing wave. Ghaziabad has also reported four cases so far.
