Total instances of Covid-19 infections went up by 10,158 over the last 24 hours while active infections rose to 44,998, as per the latest data available on the Union Health Ministry website.

The detection of new cases over the last 24 hours is a sharp 29.7% jump from 7,830 cases reported on Wednesday.

Amid the recent upsurge in the number of Covid cases, medical experts have warned that the new XBB1.16 variant is able to evade the immune system of the people and the upcoming four weeks are very crucial.

Senior Pediatrician at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr Dhiren Gupta, “The XBB 1.16 variant is the primary cause of the rise in cases among children and adults. This variant is showing immune escape and is able to evade the immune system. It is infecting those who had the Covid infection during the previous waves and also teenagers and adults who have been vaccinated.”

“It is likely to spread. Infections like adenovirus and influenza seem to be more bothersome than covid. The next four weeks are going to be important,” he said.

However, top officials in the health ministry told Times of India that Covid-19 is moving towards an endemic stage in the country.

In a massive country-wide exercise in India’s fight against COVID-19, a two-day COVID-19 mock drill was conducted successfully at 35 States and union territories across 724 districts, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare informed on Tuesday.Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on April 7, chaired a meeting with state health ministers and urged them to conduct mock drills of all health facilities and requested them to review preparedness with district administration and public health officials.

The mock drills were subsequently undertaken on April 10 and 11 in a total of 33,685 health facilities, including 28,050 govt. facilities and 5,635 private health facilities, the release stated.