COVID-19: Hospitals told to keep bed, oxygen ready; new variants detected; one case confirmed in Noida

With Covid-19 cases seeing a sudden rise in several parts of India, some states have already started prepping for the availability of beds, oxygen, medicines and vaccines to combat any further rise in number of cases.

Hospitals in Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh have been put on high alert. Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have all reported fresh cases this month. In fact, the national capital has reported coronavirus cases (23) for the first time in three years, PTI reported.

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Meanwhile, on Saturday (May 24), a 55-year-old woman in Noida tested positive for Covid-19 and has been placed under home quarantine, officials confirmed.

Narendra Kumar, chief medical officer of Gautam Budh Nagar district, informed that the woman had travelled by train around ten days back on May 14. “She is currently under home quarantine. Samples of her family members have been collected and sent for testing,” he said.

"The administration is geared up to deal with the situation. We urge people not to panic and follow the safety protocols, including wearing face masks and hand sanitisation,” Kumar added.

Karnataka reported nearly 35 active Covid-19 cases, with 32 of them in Bengaluru alone. In May, Kerala reported 273 Covid-19 cases, according to the state health minister Veena George.Meanwhile, AIIMS Rishikesh has reported three Covid cases.

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On Friday (May 23), New Delhi's health minister Pankaj Singh said that 23 Covid-19 cases were reported till Thursday (May 22), and the government is checking the details of whether patients are residents of Delhi or have a travel history

Meanwhile, a 84-year-old man with comorbidities, infected with Covid 19 died in Bengaluru, PTI reported on Saturday, citing officials.

New COVID-19 variants detected in India. What are they?

New variants of Covid-NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 have been detected in India. As per INSACOG data, one case of the newly emerging COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 and four cases of the LF.7 variant have been reported in India so far.

As of May 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as Variants Under Monitoring (VUMs), not as Variants of Concern (VOCs) or Variants of Interest (VOIs). But these are the variants reportedly driving the rise in COVID cases in China and parts of Asia.

In India, the JN.1 variant continues to be the most prevalent, accounting for 53% of the samples tested, followed by BA.2 at 26%, and other Omicron sublineages at 20%, according to INSACOG.