Covid-19 resurgence: India reports over 100 cases as SE Asia sees a surge of JN. 1 virus; check early symptoms

After over five years since COVID-19 wreaked havoc across the world, a fresh wave of the virus has emerged in various parts of Asia and has raised alarms worldwide. Countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Thailand are witnessing a fresh threat of an increase in new infections. However, India is not an exception, as over 100 new COVID-19 cases have been reported since May 12, 2025.

The fresh wave is mostly noticed in Southeast Asian countries, and it is largely driven by the spread of new Omicron subvariants, including JN.1 and its associated descendants. On the other hand, Indian actress Shilpa Shirodkar, Mahesh Babu's sister-in-law and also a Bigg Boss 18 contestant, took to her Instagram on Monday to reveal that she has tested positive for COVID-19.

View this post on Instagram

Following this, the chairperson of the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) has held a meeting with experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Emergency Medical Relief (EMR) division, Disaster Management Cell, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and central government hospitals to check the preparedness of the country.

India reports over 164 fresh case of COVID-19 so far

India saw a rise in COVID-19 infections, with Kerala reporting 69 new cases since May 12, following Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu with a tally of 44 and 34 cases, respectively.

On the other hand, over the past week, Karnataka recorded eight cases; six cases were reported in Gujarat; three cases in Delhi and Haryana; and Rajasthan and Sikkim reported one case each.

However, as per the preliminary information available, the cases are mostly mild and not linked to any unusual severity or mortality, the report added. The PTI report further noted that the expert meeting concluded that the current COVID-19 situation in India remains under control.

So far, the number of active COVID-19 cases in India stands at 257, but all of these cases are mild, with no hospitalisation required. However, the hospitals have been asked to monitor influenza-like diseases and severe acute respiratory infections.

Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Thailand: New wave of COVID-19 cases reported so far

The surge in new cases is mainly attributed to the spread of new Omicron subvariants, including JN.1, and it is linked to the descendants, prompting fresh vigilance among health authorities. Here's a look at the number of cases reported place by place:

Singapore: In early May 2025, Singapore alone reported a sharp rise of over 14,000 cases from 11,000 cases in the previous week of April. Moreover, the hospitalisation has also gone up, with ICU cases having noticed a slight decline.

Hong Kong: Apart from Singapore, Hong Kong also reported 1,042 cases in the week ending May 10, and last year, the number of cases was 972. According to the government of Hong Kong, the rise in infections has been noticed since the beginning of March.

Credit: X | @GlobalXInt

Thailand: A similar trend has been observed in China and Thailand; the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has also reported positive test rates in hospitals. The cases have doubled in the five weeks leading up to May 4.

Symptoms of a new JN. 1 variant of COVID-19

According to ADA Health, the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 has similar signs to the Omicron variant.

• Fever
• Dry/non-productive cough
• Shortness of breath/difficulty in breathing
• Feeling fatigued
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• Congestion or a runny nose

To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending.