Panjim – Goa has recorded its first confirmed COVID-19 case in the ongoing national resurgence, with a 75-year-old man testing positive and being shifted to an isolation ward at the TB and Chest Disease Hospital in St Inez on Wednesday. He was earlier admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim.
The patient is one among the 257 active cases currently reported across India, according to official health data.
Dr Anil Mehndiratta, former president of the Goa State Indian Medical Association (IMA), stated that the dominant circulating variant is LP.8.1, responsible for nearly 70% of cases nationwide. It is followed by XFC (9%) and XEC (6%).
Dr Mehndiratta explained that the symptoms are largely flu-like, including:
- Fever above 100°F
- Chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Headache
- Fatigue or weakness
- Runny or stuffy nose
He urged the state to ramp up testing, warning that undetected cases could result in long-term public health challenges.
“Many mild or asymptomatic cases are slipping through the cracks. Increased testing is essential to prevent wider transmission,” he said.
While experts do not foresee a full-blown wave, cases are rising in several states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. Other states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Sikkim have so far reported low, single-digit numbers.
Attention has also turned to the JN.1 subvariant, which carries a mutation in the spike protein. Though not causing more severe illness than previous Omicron strains, its potential to evade immunity and spread rapidly has raised concern.
As of May 17, 2025, India has reported 45,041,748 confirmed COVID-19 cases — the second highest globally after the United States — and 533,623 deaths, ranking third worldwide, behind the US and Brazil.
