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Even as new COVID-19 cases continue to emerge in some parts of the country, including the national capital, health experts and the Delhi government have assured people that there is no cause for concern. A fresh advisory has been issued to hospitals asking them to be prepared—but doctors stress the situation is under control and there’s no reason to panic.
Delhi’s COVID Advisory: A Precaution, Not a Panic Button
The Delhi government released a detailed advisory this week following a small rise in COVID-19 cases. While the city has seen only a limited number of active cases, authorities have asked hospitals to stay alert and ensure all necessary equipment—like oxygen supply, ventilators, BiPAP machines, and ICU beds—are ready if needed.
“In view of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases, it is reiterated that all medical directors, medical superintendents, and administrators of all government and private hospitals should ensure hospital preparedness,” the advisory stated.
Hospitals have been told to conduct refresher training for staff, ensure all critical machines are working properly, and report daily updates of flu-like illnesses and severe respiratory cases on the central health monitoring platforms.
Experts: COVID Cases Are Rare and Manageable
Top doctors from Delhi have also weighed in, saying the virus is mostly behaving like the seasonal flu and hospitalisation is not needed in the current cases.
Dr. Suranjit Chatterjee, Senior Consultant in Internal Medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, said on Friday,
“At the moment, the situation is under control. There are, at most, sporadic cases, which are also rare. Even the present cases are being managed very easily.”
He emphasised that the virus is acting more like a regular flu strain now, “They are not being hospitalised. This is what we were expecting that when COVID happened, it would remain a seasonal flu which could be treated very easily. The situation is not one of panic…”
He added, “We haven’t seen any hospitalised or ICU Covid-19 cases in the hospital. Only hype has been created, but there is no need to panic.”
Cases Are Mild, But Experts Recommend Continued Testing
Meanwhile, Dr. Dhiren Gupta, Co-Director of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Sir Gangaram Hospital, pointed out that while the number of confirmed cases is currently low, there could be more that are unreported due to mild symptoms.
“We have come to know that COVID is increasing, especially in Southeast Asia. But many patients are coming with body aches, nonspecific, fever, cold, so off late, we may start testing. But presently, you know that screening is being done with 257 cases testing positive. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg. There must be many cases.”
He also said the virus has not been a serious threat to most people since 2022, “I think it’s been 2022 onward. We have never seen a major problem in any age group, except for those less than one year old. When Omicron started, it created a little bit of a problem in babies less than one year old, not beyond that.”
Genome Sequencing and Data Reporting to Continue
As part of the advisory, the Delhi government has asked all hospitals to send positive COVID-19 samples for genome sequencing to Lok Nayak Hospital. This step is meant to help detect any new or emerging variants early.
Hospitals must also ensure that they report all confirmed cases of influenza and COVID-19 under the designated formats (L-form) on the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) and the Delhi State Health Data Management Portal. The guidelines recommend testing 5% of ILI (Influenza-like Illness) and 100% of SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection) cases for COVID-19 as per ICMR protocols.
Additionally, the advisory reminded hospitals to promote respiratory hygiene, such as mask-wearing inside healthcare facilities.
National Outlook: Low Case Numbers and High Readiness
As of May 19, 2025, the total number of active COVID-19 cases in India is just 257, a remarkably low figure considering the country’s vast population. Officials have confirmed that almost all cases are mild, and no serious hospitalisation has been reported.
The Union Health Ministry continues to keep a close watch on the situation and has assured citizens that all the necessary steps are in place to safeguard public health.
India also maintains a strong disease surveillance system through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), which continue to monitor COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses.
While COVID-19 is now seen more as a seasonal virus than a deadly threat, health authorities are still urging basic precautions like handwashing, avoiding crowded places, and wearing masks in hospitals or while dealing with vulnerable people.
