Active Covid cases in India rise to 3,395
New Delhi, May 31 (PTI): The number of active COVID-19 cases in India has crossed 3,000, with Kerala accounting for the highest at 1,336, followed by Maharashtra and Delhi, Union health ministry data released on Saturday showed.
According to the data, four deaths -- one each in Delhi, Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh -- have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours.
Official sources said the COVID-19 situation in India is being closely monitored.
The severity of infections is low, with most of the patients under home care. There is no reason to worry, the sources said.
There were 257 active cases in the country on May 22. The figure rose to 1,010 by May 26 and reached 3,395 on Saturday. In the last 24 hours, 685 new cases have been reported and four people have died, according to the data.
Kerala has 1,336 active cases, Maharashtra 467, Delhi 375, Gujarat 265, Karnataka 234, West Bengal 205, Tamil Nadu 185 and Uttar Pradesh 117.
Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research, Dr Rajiv Behl, on Monday said that genome sequencing of samples in the west and south has shown that the variants fuelling the current rise in cases are not severe and are subvariants of Omicron.
Four subvariants of Omicron -- LF.7, XFG, JN.1 and NB.1.8.1 -- have been found. The first three have been found in more number of cases, he said.
"We have been closely monitoring the situation. At this moment, overall, we should monitor, be vigilant but there is no cause to worry," Dr Behl said.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
