India logs 10,158 fresh cases in 24 hours, experts say Covid entering endemic stage

India has registered 10,158 fresh Covid cases in the last 24 hours and the daily positivity rate has reached 4.42%. The numbers are the highest in nearly eight months.

However, experts have said the surge in cases does not resemble a fresh wave and looks like an endemic cycle. The number of active cases has increased to 44,998, the data updated on Thursday showed.

Experts said the cases may keep rising for the next 10-12 days, but after that, they will subside. They said even though the cases are increasing, hospitalisation is low and is expected to remain low.

The current rise in Covid cases is being driven by XBB.1.16, which is a sub-variant of Omicron, they added. While Omicron and its sub-lineages continue to be the dominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity, or immune escape.

The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6 per cent in February this year to 35.8 per cent in March. However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, the sources said.

India registered a single-day rise of 7,830 coronavirus cases, the highest in 223 days, on Wednesday, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The data showed active cases have increased to 40,215.

Amid rising cases of Covid-19, a nationwide mock drill to take a stock of hospital preparedness was held on April 10 and 11. As many as 36,592 public and private facilities from all districts participated in the drill.

Officials say more than 10 lakh beds are currently available across the country. Out of which, over 3 lakh beds are oxygen-supported, 90,785 are ICU beds, and 54,040 are ICU-cum-ventilator beds.

As part of the government healthcare infrastructure preparedness, 77,923 ventilators are functional, 261,534 oxygen concentrators, 685,567 oxygen cylinders are functional.

Besides a total 8,652,974 PPE kits and 28,039,957 N-95 masks are in stock. The health ministry has also stocked 668,432,658 paracetamol doses, 97,170,149 doses of Azithromycin and other essentials.

Also, 14,698 total Basic Life Support Ambulances and 4,557 Advance Life Support Ambulances are available. In addition to this, the government has 208,386 doctors oriented on Covid-19 management.