India reported 1,009 active COVID-19 cases as of May 26, a dramatic increase from 257 instances noted on May 19.
Data published by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Monday shows India has seen a startling increase of active COVID-19 cases—the total exceeds 1,000.
The nation has 1,009 active cases as of May 26, a dramatic increase from 257 instances only one week earlier on May 19. Health officials in numerous states remain on notice even if most current cases are recorded as minor and do not call for hospitalization.
Covid Cases in India Rising Above 1,000, States on Alert | State-by-State Update
Inspired by Priyanshu Priya
May 26, 2025: 1:23 PM IST
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) reports 1,009 active Covid-19 cases as of May 26, a clear increase from 257 active cases registered on May 19.
This is quite different from the prior week. Kerala had 69 fresh active cases between May 12 and May 19; Maharashtra had 44; Karnataka had 8; Gujarat had 6; Delhi simply had 3.
States like Bihar and Jharkhand, which had before recorded no cases in the current wave, have also confirmed their first infections.
According a PTI report, a 31-year-old male from Patna without recent travel history tested positive in Bihar and is now under treatment in a private hospital. Traveler who recently returned from Mumbai tested positive in Ranchi, Jharkhand, marking the first known case in this wave for the state.
Karnataka Increases Safety Measures
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao of Karnataka said the administration is closely observing the matter and has directed officials to increase testing especially among high-risk populations.
“We have requested our department officials to boost tests. Most likely, RT-PCR testing kits will arrive at our facilities tomorrow or the day after,” Rao said.
Covid Cases in India Rising Past 1,000, States on Alert | State-by-State Data
by Priyanshu Priya
Monday, 26 May 2025 | 1:23 PM IST
With the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) latest figures showing the overall number reaching the 1,000 mark as of May 26, India has recorded a startling increase in active Covid-19 cases. This is a big departure from the 257 active cases recorded just one week earlier, on May 19.
Although most of the reported cases are regarded as mild and not needing hospital treatment, health authorities in numerous states are on great alert.
State by State Increase in Cases
Over the past week, MoHFW reports that the following states show the highest recorded increases:
Kerala: 335 cases, 430 total active
Maharashtra: 153 cases total—209 active
Delhi: 104 cases overall, 99 cases active
Gujarat: 76 cases overall, 83 active at once
Karnataka: 34 instances (total active: 47)
Comparatively, Kerala recorded only 69 new active cases between May 12 and May 19, Maharashtra 44, Karnataka 8, Gujarat 6, and Delhi just 3—a clear week-on-week increase.
State by state breakdown as of May 26, 2025
S. No. State / UT Active Cases Change Since May 19 cured / discharged / migrated change since May 19 death totals (cumulative)
- Islands of Andaman and Nicobar also 0 — 10,637 0 129 — 2 Andhra Pradesh: 4 +4 2,326,365 0 14,733 3 Arunachal Pradesh 0 — 66,513 0 296 — 4 Assam 0—738,222 0 8,038 — 5 Bihar 0—843,376 0 12,315 — 6 Chandigarh 0 — 99,576 0 1,186 — 7 Chhattisgarh: 1 + 1,414,424 0 14,205 — 8 Dadra and Nagar Haveli as well as Daman and Diu 0 — 11,508 0 — 4 — 9 Delhi 104 +99 2,017,052 +24 26,701 — 10 Goa 1 +1 259,692 0 4,014 —11 Gujarat 83 +76 1,281,688 +14 11,101 — 12 Hyderabad 9 +8 1,068, 413 +3 10,787 — 13 Himachal Pradesh 0 318,874 0 4,247 14 Jammu & Kashmir 0—477,407 0 4,793 —15 Jharkhand 0 -438, 525 0 5,337 16 Karnataka 47 +34 4,057,191 +27 40,424 1 Kerala 430 +335 6,849,272 +105 +72,142 18 Ladakh 0 — 29, 457 0 — 231 — 19 Lakshadweep 0 — 11,363 0 52 — 20 Madhya Pradesh 2 +2 1,546,049 0 10,789 — 21 Maharashtra 209 + 153 8,029,849 + 56 148,606 4 22 Manipur 0 — 137,891 0 2,149 — 23 Meghalaya 0 — 95,366 0 — 1,628 — 24 Mizoram 0 — 238,901 0 734 — 25 Nagaland 0 — 35,251 0 — 702 — 26 Odisha 0 — 1,339,547 0 9,215 — 27 Puducherry has nine plus one 175,849 plus twelve 1,982—28. Punjab 0 -773,434 0 20,600 29 Rajasistan 13 +/- 11,318,196 0 9,746 30 Sikkim 0 +1 44,495 +1 501 — 31 Tamil Nadu \ 69 +3 3,574, 236 +60 38,086, 32 Telangana one plus one 840,812 0 4,111—33 Tripura 0 — 107,646 0 943 — 34 Uttarakhand 0—445,013 0 7,777 — 35 Uttar Pradesh: 15 +15 2,122,619 0 23,743 36 West Bengal 12 +11 2,106,509 +3 21,558 — 1,009 total active cases in India, up 752 since May 19.
44,511,545 is total cured/discharged.
Total Deaths: 533,673 (7 recorded on May 19) Bihar & Jharkhand Announcement First Cases of Current Covid Wave
States including Bihar and Jharkhand, which had earlier claimed no cases in the current wave, have now verified their first illnesses. According a PTI report, a 31-year-old male from Patna without recent travel history tested positive in Bihar and is presently undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The news agency also mentioned that a recently returned Mumbai resident tested positive in Ranchi, therefore indicating the first verified case in Jharkhand in this wave. Karnataka Turns Up Monitoring and Testing
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao of Karnataka said the administration is closely observing the situation and has directed health officials to increase testing particularly among high-risk groups. “We have instructed our departmental officials to run tests. Most likely, RT-PCR testing kits will arrive at our centers tomorrow or the day following tomorrow. He underlined that, especially for cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) among the elderly and children as well as Influenza-Like Illness (ILI), testing is now mandatory at both private and government facilities. Rao said, “We will closely monitor the situation over the next four to five days across the state and the country,” adding that weekly meetings of Karnataka’s technical advisory council will assess the developments. Rao observed at the national level that although no new limitations have been announced, the central government is also keeping an eye on the matter and only provides recommendations on testing and safeguards for high-risk persons. National Situation Review for Centres
Reviewing the matter with top officials from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the Department of Health Research, and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan last week The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) claims that Covid-19 variants have been identified in India. There have as thus been recorded four cases of the LF.7 variant and one incidence of the NB.1.8.1 variant. The World Health Organisation (WHO) presently groups both of these mutations as mutations Under Monitoring (VUMs). Though they are not categorized as harmful, they have been connected to growing case counts in China and other regions of Asia. Still, the most often occurring Covid-19 strain in India is JN.1, which makes up 53% of all instances examined; BA.2 follows at 26%; other Omicron-related subvariants at 20%.
