India's COVID-19 Cases Under Control: Health Ministry on Alert

Despite a slight increase in COVID-19 cases in some Indian states, most are mild and manageable at home. The Union Health Ministry is actively monitoring the situation with no cause for public panic. Basic health precautions remain advised to curb any spikes.

In a recent review of COVID-19 cases, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava reported a rise across multiple Indian states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra. The majority of these cases remain mild and are being managed at home, according to official sources.

As of May 19, India reports 257 active COVID-19 cases, primarily mild, with no hospitalizations necessary. The Union Health Ministry continues rigorous monitoring through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme and ICMR. This comes as new cases arise in Karnataka and the National Capital Region.

A noticeable instance involved a 55-year-old woman testing positive in Noida, marking the region's first case, and a pregnant woman in Karnataka's Belagavi testing positive as well. However, health officials emphasize that the situation is under control, with advisory measures in place and no signs of a significant outbreak.

Health experts, including Dr. Suranjit Chatterjee of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, confirm that the current cases are sporadic and manageable. With the Union Health Ministry remaining vigilant, basic virus precautions like hand hygiene and mask usage are still recommended.

(With inputs from agencies.)