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3 min read | Updated on May 20, 2025, 13:14 IST
SUMMARY
A review meeting of experts from the National Centre for Disease Control, Emergency Medical Relief division, Disaster Management Cell, Indian Council of Medical Research and Central government hospitals was held on Monday.
Hospitals have been asked to monitor influenza-like illnesses and severe acute respiratory infection cases.
Health officials across South Asia are responding to a renewed wave of COVID-19 infections driven by evolving variants, with Singapore and Hong Kong seeing notable upticks in cases.
In India, however, authorities say the situation remains under control despite growing regional concerns.
As of May 19, India has reported only 257 active cases, nearly all of which are mild and do not require hospitalisation, reported PTI, citing people familiar with the matter.
A high-level review meeting was convened on Monday by the Director General of Health Services with participation from agencies including the National Centre for Disease Control and Indian Council of Medical Research.
“The meeting concluded that the current Covid-19 situation in India remains under control,” PTI quoted an official source as saying. "Almost all of these cases are mild, with no hospitalisation required.”
The country has a robust system for surveillance of viral respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and ICMR.
The Union Health Ministry remains vigilant and proactive in monitoring the situation closely, ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to safeguard public health, according to the report.
Singapore has seen a sharp increase in weekly cases, with infections reaching 14,200 as of early May, and hospitalisations climbing by around 30%.
The Ministry of Health and the Communicable Diseases Agency noted that although intensive care admissions are low, the country is bracing for periodic waves similar to other endemic respiratory illnesses.
The predominant variants in Singapore, LF.7 and NB.1.8, are both descendants of the JN.1 subvariant, now globally dominant. These variants are known for their increased transmissibility and partial ability to evade immunity, though current vaccines continue to offer protection against severe illness.
In Hong Kong, the situation has grown more concerning. The proportion of respiratory samples testing positive for COVID-19 has surged to 13.7%, the highest in a year. Health officials there have reported 81 severe adult cases and 30 deaths, mostly among elderly individuals with preexisting conditions. Pediatric wards are also filling up, with many young, unvaccinated patients experiencing high fevers and prolonged illness.
Medical experts in Hong Kong are urging increased vaccinations, especially among children and vulnerable populations.
“Before, our ward had no patients with Covid-19, now the whole ward is full of children with Covid cases,” South China Morning Post quoted Dr. Mike Kwan Yat-wah, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, as saying.
The JN.1 variant, a descendent of the Omicron BA.2.86 lineage first identified in Denmark, has become the most prevalent strain worldwide.
While it shows modest immune escape capabilities, meaning it may partially evade immunity from vaccines or past infections, it has not been linked to increased disease severity.
Studies suggest that current vaccines remain effective against JN.1 and its descendants, including KP.3 and XDV. Despite reduced neutralisation in some lab tests, health officials and researchers agree that vaccines still offer significant protection against severe outcomes.
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