India's Covid tally climbs to 7,400 with 9 new deaths as Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat fuel fresh surge

India is witnessing a fresh uptick in Covid-19 infections, with 269 new cases and nine deaths reported in the last 24 hours, pushing the country’s active case tally to 7,400, according to the Union Health Ministry.

Karnataka led the surge with 132 new active cases, marking the highest single-day jump. It was followed by Gujarat (79) and Kerala (54). Other contributing states included Madhya Pradesh (20), Tamil Nadu (12), and Sikkim (11), while several states—including Punjab, West Bengal, and Mizoram—reported zero cases during the same period.

The death toll also saw a concerning rise, with Maharashtra reporting four fatalities, Kerala three, and one each in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. As of the start of the new year, India’s Covid-related death toll stands at 87.

Despite the spike, there was a glimmer of relief as 991 patients recovered, pushing the total number of recoveries to 11,967. Still, health experts are closely monitoring the trend, especially in high-burden states.

Kerala continues to grapple with the highest number of active cases at 2,109, followed by Gujarat (1,437), Delhi (672), Maharashtra (613), and Karnataka (527). Other states with sizable caseloads include Uttar Pradesh (248), Tamil Nadu (232), and Rajasthan (180).

Cases rising in Manipur and Rajasthan

Manipur reported five new cases on Friday, with the infections traced to Imphal East and Imphal West districts. The state’s health services tested 15 samples, detecting positives in a third of them. Meanwhile, Rajasthan is logging 30-35 new Covid cases daily, and reported one death on Friday. State Health Director Dr. Ravi Prakash Sharma confirmed the fatality involved a patient with comorbid tuberculosis.

“We have adequate stocks of medicines and necessary infrastructure in place,” Dr. Sharma said, even as public health authorities urge caution.

The sudden surge in parts of the country has triggered renewed calls for surveillance, vaccination outreach, and vigilance against new variants.