As some of the states in the country record a sudden increase in the COVID-19 cases, the centre has signalled an alert, directing states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Telangana to step up the measures and ensure there is a control over the entire situation with special focus given on arresting the localised spread of the infection. As per the Government, even though the COVID-19 numbers have been brought down considerably, the slight increase in the same is being keenly noticed and the necessary directions are issued to contain the spread wherever reported. However, on the other side, the health experts believe that the country might well be at the start of the 4th wave of the Pandemic—maintaining that it might be quite different from the previous ones.
As per the numbers on the COVID-19 in the country, over 15,000 new infections were being reported in a week until May 27; however, the same has now witnessed an increase and jumped to over 21,000 cases in a week till June 3. At the same time, there also has been an increase reported in the weekly positivity of cases, which, as per the numbers, was 0.52% in a week on May 27, 2022, while the same has now reached 0.73% in the week June 3. The numbers which are changing every week are being regularly monitored and as of now, the states which have been alerted are contributing a large chunk of cases to the national caseload.
The COVID-19 positive cases which are now being reported do not have severe symptoms, rather, the same is said to be mild, not needing immediate hospitalization; getting resolved within just 2-3 days, something which is being attributed to the mutations which the virus is undergoing after regular intervals. If health experts are to be believed, then the COVID-sub variants, spread across, are driving another wave of the spike which is being witnessed in the COVID-19 positives. While the sub-variants have a higher level of transmissibility—causing more spread—they also possess a power known as ‘immune escape’ which is the ability of the virus to evade the immunity enhanced due to the vaccine and also the immunity gained after previous infections. Making it invisible and being present everywhere.
As of now, the situation appears that, with the sub-variants of the COVID-19 remaining in circulation, causing a jump in the weekly positive cases in some of the states, and is likely going to be the case pan-Inda, the vaccination seems partially effective, particularly in not letting the disease become severe and at the same time, lessening the requirement of the hospitalization. The facts and details, in the end, underline that we are likely to have another wave of COVID-19 pandemic, but the same might end up to be milder in comparison to what we saw earlier…might come to the stage silently and fade off on its on….and the same might be the beginning of the realization that the COVID-19 is there to stay with us, with all its past and present changes.
