Hyderabad: Hyderabad recorded its first confirmed COVID-19 case of the year today, as a doctor in Kukatpally tested positive, raising concerns among health officials amid a global uptick in infections driven by new variants. The case, identified during routine testing at a private hospital, marks the city’s re-entry into the COVID-19 spotlight after months of negligible activity.
The patient, a 42-year-old physician, exhibited mild symptoms, including fever and cough, and is currently in home isolation, according to sources at the Telangana Health Department. Contact tracing is underway, with close contacts being tested as a precautionary measure. Preliminary investigations suggest the infection may be linked to the JN.1 variant, which has been detected in wastewater samples across Hyderabad in recent weeks, indicating silent community spread.
Dr. K. Srinivas, a senior health official, addressed the public, stating, “This case is not a cause for alarm. The patient is stable, and symptoms are mild, consistent with the current variants circulating globally. We urge citizens, especially the elderly and those with comorbidities, to wear masks in crowded places and seek testing if symptoms appear.”
The detection comes as India reports 257 active cases nationwide, with Telangana previously reporting no active cases. Globally, variants like JN.1, FLiRT, and LB.1 have fueled surges in countries such as Singapore and Hong Kong, prompting heightened vigilance in India. Hyderabad’s wastewater surveillance has been instrumental in early detection, though hospitalization rates remain low, with no deaths reported in the state recently.
