COVID-19 Cases Spike in India
Indian nurses taking COVID-19 precautions in a hospital. Photo: Ajit Solanki/AP
India reported a total of 3,823 new COVID-19 infections on April 1, a jump of 27% from the previous day - the highest single-day spike in COVID-19 infections in over 6 months. The surge is representative of a wider spread of COVID-19 in India, with a 437% increase in cases and a 114% rise in deaths over the past month – more than any other South Asian nation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The rise in COVID-19 cases in India comes at a time when cases globally are in decline, with the previous month seeing a decrease of 27% in the rate of infections and 39% in the rate of deaths.
India is no stranger to COVID-19 outbreaks. The country was the victim of a catastrophic second wave of COVID-19 in 2021, which the country was extremely unprepared for. Hospitals were overwhelmed with the number of patients and constantly in danger of running out of oxygen. Funeral homes, overwhelmed with the number of dead bodies coming in, forewent traditional ceremonies to make more room for the bodies. The government was heavily criticized for not taking necessary precautions as cases were rapidly rising, and politicians instead declared “victory” over the virus and acted as if everything was normal.
Mass funeral pyre during the peak of India’s second wave of COVID-19. Photo: Atlaf Qadri/AP
However, the disastrous management and consequences of the second wave have made the government extremely cautious when dealing with COVID-19 in its aftermath. The government stepped up its efforts to counter COVID-19 in December 2022, as other countries reported a surge in cases, by limiting the spread during major events such as Christmas and New Year’s. As cases have jumped in India in 2023, states with particularly high infection rates have also upped their restrictions. For example, the government of Tamil Nadu has mandated the wearing of face masks in government hospitals, and the government of Uttar Pradesh has upped testing and screening in their state.
The spike is being caused by the Omicron variant XBB.1.16, which the WHO has declared it is monitoring closely. The variant, called “Arcturus” by variant trackers, was first discovered in India and makes up a significant portion of total cases. The variant can spread much faster than its predecessor, XBB.1.15 (which is dominant in the US), and has mutations that allow it to escape old immunity. However, the severity of Arcturus is similar to previous variants of Omicron, meaning an increase in cases may not result in a disproportionate increase in deaths.
While it is still uncertain how long the spike in cases in India will last, the country has learned its lesson from the 2021 wave. While there will still be challenges, India now is more alert and more prepared to fight COVID-19 within the country, and will hopefully witness the country start to decline in COVID-19 cases once again.