Rakesh Mishra
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COVID virus seems to have a made a comeback with cases being reported in different parts of the country, but scientists insist that there is nothing to be worried since those affected are only showing mild symptoms of low grade fever and cough while hospitalisations too have been less.

“Yes, we are seeing COVID wave in some parts of the country. It is also being reported in certain other Asian counties. It could be a variant of JN.1 which is already circulating among the population. But people may not have realised as most of them are asymptomatic and there are no major clinical symptoms”, said noted scientist and director of Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS) Rakesh Mishra.

His institute has been closely monitoring the wastewater surveillance reports in Bengaluru (Karnataka) and Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), where a spike in COVID virus has been noticed from the samples taken from Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) since last week in these two cities.

“We have an agreement with the local municipal authorities in those two cities. We are studying the wastewater samples taken from open drains in Hyderabad since we do not have such a pact here. Most likely, people are shedding the COVID virus at the same level in the twin cities too,” said Dr. Mishra, a former Director of CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and who continues to supervise research scholars in his lab here.

Although there is no uniform or coordinated environment surveillance for COVID across the country, he stresses the need to keep a close watch on the developments. “Every few months, we are bound to have a spike in infections because the virus has become very infectious. Yet, it is always good to be cautious. We have to keep a watch on the severity of the symptoms lest we are caught unawares if there is a rush for hospitalisations due a more potent strain that could arise,” points out the top scientist.

Citizens can take precautions like isolating or sporting a face mask when outside, especially, if one has COVID symptoms showing civic responsibility. Plus, it is always better to wear the face mask when in a crowd, added Dr. Mishra.