Scene at LNJP hospital, as the cases in India rise to 4000; in New Delhi on Sunday, June 2, 2025.
| Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA
India reported four more COVID-19 deaths in the last 24 hours — a 22-year-old woman from Delhi, a 25-year-old man from Tamil Nadu, 44-year-old man from Maharashtra and one death in Kerala — with the fatalities this year standing at 32, according to the Health Ministry on Monday. The number of active cases neared 4,000.
Kerala and Maharashtra recorded the largest number of deaths — with eight fatalities each — followed by Delhi and Karnataka with four each. Deaths have also been reported from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Kerala has reported the largest number of cases at 1,435, followed by Maharashtra 506, Delhi 483 and West Bengal 331.
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“Delhi has reported the death of a 22-year-old woman with old treated pulmonary Koch’s/ post tuberculosis lung disease/ bilateral lower respiratory tract infection, while the 25-year-old man who died in Tamil Nadu had bronchial asthma, severe acute tubular injury and incidental COVID positive status,’’ the Ministry said.
It said the 44-year-old man who died in Maharashtra had severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with dilated aortic regurgitation and was COVID-19 positive.
Test positivity rate
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) noted that since mid-February 2025, global SARS-CoV-2 activity had been increasing, with the test positivity rate reaching 11%, levels that had not been observed since July 2024.
“This rise is primarily observed in countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific regions. Since early 2025, global SARS-CoV-2 variant trends have slightly shifted. Circulation of LP.8.1 has been declining, and reporting of NB.1.8.1, a Variant Under Monitoring (VUM), is increasing, reaching 10.7% of global sequences reported as of mid-May,’’ noted WHO global situation report.
It added that the recent increases in SARS-CoV-2 activity were broadly consistent with levels observed during the same period last year, however, there still lacked a clear seasonality in SARS-CoV-2 circulation, and surveillance was limited.
WHO has recommended continued monitoring as an essential element to controlling COVID spread. It had also advised all member-states to continue applying a risk-based, integrated approach to managing COVID-19.
“As part of comprehensive COVID-19 control programmes, vaccination remains a key intervention for preventing severe disease and death, particularly among risk groups,’’ added WHO.
Published – June 02, 2025 11:55 am IST
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