New Delhi: India’s active COVID-19 cases have crossed the 4,000 mark, with Kerala remaining the most affected state followed by Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Delhi, according to the Union Health Ministry data released Tuesday.

There are 4,026 active cases in India and five fresh deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours.

Since January this year, 37 deaths have been reported in the country.

There were 257 active patients in the country May 22. The figure rose to 3,395 by May 31 and subsequently to 4,026 cases.

Presently, Kerala has 1,446 active cases, the highest in the country followed by Maharashtra with 494, Gujarat with 397 and Delhi with 393 cases.

Five deaths —one each in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and two deaths in Maharashtra — have been reported in the last 24 hours, according to the data.

Official sources May 31 stated that the COVID-19 situation in India is being closely monitored while stressing that the severity of infections is low, with most of the patients being under home care and that there was no cause for worry.

Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Rajiv Behl Monday stated that genome sequencing of samples in West and South have shown that the variants leading to the current rise in cases are not severe and are sub variants of Omicron only.

The four variants that we have found are subvariants of Omicron — LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB. 1.8.1. The first three have been found in more number of cases, he said.

“We have been closely monitoring the situation. At this moment overall, we should monitor, be vigilant but there is no cause to worry,” Dr Behl had said.

PTI