Two new Covid variants detected in India. How threatening could they be as cases rise?

COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in India. Multiple states, including Karnataka, Delhi and Bengal have issued advisories but have urged people not to panic.

As of May 25, 2025, India has recorded 275 active infections, according to Union Health Ministry data. Though, majority of these cases are mild and are controlled through home, health authorities have urged citizens to remain alert.

Two new Covid variants

Amid the surge in cases, two fresh Covid-19 variants, NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 have been detected.

These findings are by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), the central body that monitors the genetic changes in the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified LF.7 and NB.1.8 subvariants as “Variants Under Monitoring”, not as “Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest”.

“Considering the available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level,” the WHO said.

However, these variants have contributed in the rise of Covid-19 cases across the country. Dominant among them in India is JN.1 variant that has led to 53 per cent of the cases.

The NB.1.8.1, according to WHO posing low public health risk globally but has the capability to increase transmissibility and immune evasion as it carries spike protein mutations—A435S, V445H, and T478I.

So far there is no evidence of both the variants causing more severe disease or higher mortality compared to previous strains.

Second death due to Covid in India

Meanwhile, a 21-year-old COVID-19 patient has died from the disease in Maharashtra.The young patient, as per reports, was admitted to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Kalwa Hospital in Thane on May 22, 2025.

This is the second death since the recent resurgence of COVID-19 in India. Previously, an 84-year-old man with severe comorbidities died due to multi-organ failure in Karnataka's Bengaluru.