India reports four new COVID deaths as cases near 4,000

India reported four new Covid-19 fatalities last week, pushing the nationwide case count to 3,961, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Health.

The new infections—203 in the past 24 hours—come amid a steady increase in cases, with one death each recorded in four different states.

Health officials noted that all the deceased had underlying medical conditions in addition to Covid-19.

Kerala remains the hardest-hit state, contributing more than 1,400 cases to the national total. Other states such as Maharashtra and Delhi are also experiencing a noticeable rise in infections.

Despite the uptick, health experts maintain that the situation is not alarming. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) stated recently that the current surge is primarily driven by Omicron sub-variants and that most cases are “generally mild.”

“There is no immediate cause for concern,” ICMR said, emphasizing that the situation remains under control.

Health Minister Prataprao Jadhav echoed the reassurance, affirming that the government is fully equipped to respond to any developments. In the capital, Delhi, hospitals have been advised to review and update their preparedness plans.

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, India has logged more than 45 million Covid-19 cases and 533,570 deaths, according to Worldometer.