Covid-19 in India: Active tally rises to 5,364; Kerala, Maharashtra among worst hit

The Health Ministry reported 498 new cases and four deaths in the last 24 hours.

India’s active COVID-19 cases climbed to 5,364 in the last 24 hours, as of 8 am Saturday. The Health Ministry reported 498 new cases and four deaths in the last 24 hours.

The Centre has rolled out preparedness assessments amid the noticeable uptick in infections, while state governments have issued fresh advisories.

Kerala remains the most affected state, logging 192 new cases, followed by Gujarat (107), West Bengal (58), and Delhi (30).

A series of technical review meetings was held on June 2 and 3, chaired by DGHS Dr. Sunita Sharma, involving representatives from ICMR, NCDC, IDSP, and disaster management units to evaluate preparedness.

In addition, a nationwide mock drill was also conducted to assess oxygen infrastructure, including PSA plants and LMO supply lines.

Maharashtra reported 114 new cases and one death, bringing the total this year to 1,276 infections and 18 fatalities, mostly among people with comorbidities.

Haryana recorded 31 new cases, with Gurugram (9) and Faridabad (11) being the most affected. The state currently has 87 active cases, and only two patients are hospitalised. Health Minister Arti Singh Rao has urged residents not to panic but to remain alert.

Odisha reported seven new infections, taking its active case count to 23. As per officials, the situation was stable with no serious cases.

Uttarakhand's Dehradun district registered seven new cases, increasing its total to 29. The Health Department is tracing the contacts of the infected.

West Bengal saw 58 new cases and 91 recoveries, bringing active cases down to 596. The death toll remains unchanged.

Meanwhile, scientists at IIT Guwahati have developed a new method to detect SARS-CoV-2, based on the sedimentation rate of a clay-virus-electrolyte mixture. The innovation could offer a low-cost alternative for virus quantification. Details of the study have been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

(With inputs from agencies)