Experts dismiss rising Covid cases in Southeast Asia as seasonal trends of flu

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) With media reports citing cases of Covid-19 infections surging in Southeast Asia, bringing fresh fears about the disease that affected millions of people and the global economy, health experts on Tuesday dismissed them as seasonal trends of flu.

As per media reports, the weekly Covid-19 infections in Singapore surged by 28 per cent from 11,100 in late April to 14,200 in the first week of May, with hospitalisations also rising 30 per cent.

Hong Kong recorded 31 virus-related deaths in the week ending May 3, the city’s highest weekly toll in a year. New infections in Hong Kong rose to 1,042 in the week ending May 10, up from 972 the previous week.

“Rising Covid cases in Southeast Asia are attributed to seasonal trends of flu cases. Most of the cases are mild and do not need any hospitalisation,” Dr. Harshal R Salve, Additional professor at, the Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi, told IANS.

India also is seeing a slight uptick in cases. A review held on Monday by the Ministry of Health concluded that the current situation in India is “under control,” with just 257 active cases reported nationwide as of May 19.

“Covid-19 is a cyclical disease, which means that cases will rise every few months. The intervals can range from six to nine months. As with other Asian countries, we are seeing Covid cases in India too. But they are not overwhelming hospitals and are not any more severe than they used to be. In fact, most cases are so mild, they are being treated as outpatient,” said Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, Convener, Research Cell, Kerala State IMA.

“Due to widespread immunity due to prior vaccination and from surviving past infections, Covid-19 is no longer the destructive force it used to be. There is no indication of any major genetic shift having occurred in the virus that could alter the character of the disease it causes,” he added.

China and Thailand have also reported a notable increase in new infections. The surge is being largely attributed to the spread of new Omicron subvariants, including JN.1 and its related descendants -- LF.7 and NB.1.8, which make up over two-thirds of sequenced cases.

The increase in cases may also be attributed to waning immunity, with periodic waves being anticipated.

While the cases reported so far are generally mild in severity, “the outcome also depends on the host. For instance, infection in a frail elderly individual could lead to more severe outcomes,” Jayadevan said.

The experts urged cough hygiene and cleanliness to fight the virus.

“When cases rise, it’s important to take more precautions than usual. Wearing masks in crowded closed spaces will be helpful. Those who have a fever should stay home and avoid mingling with others,” Jayadevan said.

Meanwhile, the health ministry assured that the country has a robust system for surveillance of respiratory viral illnesses, including Covid also exists in the country through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and ICMR.

--IANS

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