Just when the world was beginning to breathe easy, believing the COVID-19 nightmare was finally over, the virus has returned this time with a dangerous set of new mutations, sparking fresh global concerns.

Back in late 2019, the world witnessed the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic. After years of intense global effort, rising immunity levels, and widespread vaccination, the situation had appeared to be under control. But in 2025, the virus has taken a darker turn once again. Due to ongoing mutations in its spike protein, a more infectious and possibly more lethal variant has surfaced, triggering a fresh wave of infections across several Asian countries, including India.

According to the latest report, in the last 24 hours, India has witnessed a massive spike in COVID-19 infections, taking the total tally to 5,755. The current surge is driven by the new variants of the omicron family, namely the NB1.8.1, XFG and the LF7, whereas in other parts of Asia and especially South East Asia JN.1 which is another member variant of the same famil,y has been driving the uptick in the new cases.

With such an alarming rise in infections and deaths being reported, the apprehension of another pandemic looms over. The frequent deaths and the consistent cases have brought up several questions regarding the possibility of another wave of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The current variants are the descendants of the omicron family, the NB1.8.1, LF7, XFG and the JN.1 have been driving the surge in cases all around the world whereas the first two have been dominant in India.

NB.1.8.1, a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-1,9 is not yet classified as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization, health authorities are keeping a close eye on it due to its quick spread and potential impact.

The variant has been considered a "variant under monitoring " with increasing proportions globally, while another variant called the LP.8.1 is starting to decline," as claimed by the World Health Organisation in a press release.

The new variants have been considered the most mutated and prone to evading the efficacy of the vaccines. What puts a bit of relief is the fact that despite intense mutations, the severity of the virus remains lower than the past variants, with many patients recovering from home quarantine and no hospitalization.

Health Minister J.P Nadda has confidently claimed that the country now has a very active and advanced system to deal with public health emergencies. At the same time, several states around the country have issued advisories such as wearing masks in public and avoiding mass gatherings. Many state governments have been proactively setting up isolation wards in government hospitals to tackle any sudden noticeable rise.

Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has pulled up the Centre over delays in setting up the basic protocols for test sample collection. In an order dated May 28, it warned that "the next pandemic is far from over" and called for a report on the measures taken regarding standards for sample collection, transport, and collection centers.

Despite the surge in cases, any large outbreak seems quite far as the new variants seem to be manageable, with no severity of the virus being reported. To curb any potential outbreak the people are advised to follow all the precautions and protocols such as avoiding mass gatherings, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.