On World Health Day, India's Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a video conference with state health ministers and senior officials to review the current situation of COVID-19 in the country. According to a chart presented in the meeting, the XBB1.16 variant of the coronavirus accounts for 38.2% of infections in India, up from 22.5% in March. The variant has been detected in several states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. Health officials said that XBB1.16 is more transmissible than the original strain of the virus, and may also cause more severe symptoms and complications. They urged people to follow COVID-appropriate behavior, such as wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and avoiding crowds, to reduce the risk of transmission. They also advised people to get vaccinated as soon as possible, as vaccines can provide protection against the variant and reduce the sev

Author-Dr.Aishwarya Nair