The daily count of fresh new Covid-19 cases in India surged to a four-month high of 841 in the last 24 hours taking the total number of active cases in the country to 5,389, according to Union health ministry data released on Saturday.

Two persons died in Kerala due to coronavirus while Maharashtra and Jharkhand reported one death each.

Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat have recorded the highest number of Covid-19 infections in the current surge.

India’s daily average new Covid cases are up six times in a month. Average daily new cases a month ago (Feb 18) was 112 while now (March 18) it’s 626.

The Centre is worried over the surge in Covid-19 cases in 6 states. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Wednesday wrote to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka asking them to step up testing, treating, tracking, and vaccination to control the spread of Covid-19 cases.

“There are few states which are reporting higher number of cases indicating possible localised spread of infection and there is a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the infection, without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic,” the letter said.

Scientists are of the view that it is the milder omicron version of coronavirus and its sub-lineages that are currently circulating in India. The fact that most Indians have now been vaccinated is also helping to slow the spread of the disease.

According to the health ministry’s website, 220.65 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered so far under the nationwide vaccination drive.