Covid-19 in India Live Updates: COVID cases rising across India; Karnataka reports 40 new infections

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta assured that there is no cause for concern amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, with 19 patients currently hospitalised in the city.

Speaking to reporters at Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, she said, "Nineteen patients are admitted to hospitals and the remaining are receiving treatment at their homes. But COVID-19 has not reached the point where people need to worry. The government is ready for every situation."

Police in Maharashtra’s Latur district have filed an FIR against Dr. Shashikant Deshpande, a senior government hospital official, after an audio clip surfaced in which he allegedly instructed a colleague to "kill" a COVID-19 patient during the 2021 pandemic reports PTI. The complaint, filed by the patient's husband, also accuses Deshpande of making caste-based slurs during the call. The patient, Kausar Fatima, later recovered and was discharged.

The clip, now viral on social media, reportedly captures a conversation between Deshpande and Dr. Shashikant Dange, who was treating COVID patients at a care centre. Police have seized Deshpande’s phone and are verifying the clip’s authenticity. A case has been registered under charges related to promoting enmity and deliberate insult of religious sentiments.

Karnataka reported 40 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the state's active case count to 126. The daily positivity rate stood at 10.12% from 395 tests conducted, including 344 RT-PCR and 51 RAT tests, according to the health department.

A new COVID-19 subvariant, NB.1.8.1, was detected in a Tamil Nadu sample and sent to India's genome sequencing consortium, INSACOG, for analysis. Although cases remain low, health experts warn of rising trends seen in other countries.

A 40-year-old man from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh, has become Chandigarh’s first confirmed COVID-19 death this year. The patient, transferred from Ludhiana to GMCH Sector 32 with severe respiratory issues, tested positive and was placed in isolation. Hospital officials confirmed the death but said it is unclear if the JN.1 variant was involved.