Subrata Nagchoudhury, Krishna N. Das

KOLKATA, (Reuters) – Indian megacities Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi are seeing a rise in COVID-19-related cases. However, there has not been an increase in hospitalisations. But fears grow about a spreading epidemic to the rural regions in the coming days.

India has reported nearly fourfold more daily COVID-19 infections than the previous year. The majority of these cases were coming from places where the Omicron strain is believed to have overtaken Delta. Officials said that most of the infected people have not shown any symptoms or have quickly recovered at home.

Federal health officials identified Delhi and Mumbai as major areas of concern on Wednesday. But, state officials are worried that the disease may spread to other parts of India, such as Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Chennai.

Kolkata was home to half of all new West Bengal cases until just a few days ago. But, the number of cases is rising in nearby districts. This state is home to one of India’s highest infection rates.

Ajay Chhakborty is the director of West Bengal Health Services. He has been unable to return home since he was infected with the virus.

Chakraborty reported that there were many empty COVID beds at Kolkata’s Beliaghata General Hospital. He said that only 75 admissions had been made to the Beliaghata General Hospital and Infectious Diseases Hospital by government officials on Tuesday, even though there were more than 9000 new cases.

Mumbai, in the West, recorded a record-breaking daily infection rate of 15,166 Wednesday. This is well above its prior high of 11,000 last year. Officials from Mumbai said that almost 90% of the new patients did not show symptoms, while only 8% had to be hospitalized.

While COVID-19 case numbers nearly doubled to 10,665 in Delhi in one day, Wednesday’s figures showed that only 7 percent of the COVID beds in Delhi were actually occupied.

But federal officials warn that any number of minor cases could cause pressure on the healthcare system.

India has at most 2,135 Omicron cases. One death was also confirmed, this time in an elderly diabetic man.

On Thursday, daily COVID-19-related deaths increased by 325 to 482 876. The total number of infections is 35.11 millions, which ranks second only to the U.S. count.

Due to rising cases, Gujarat (western state) has postponed the Jan. 10-12 biennial Investment Summit. This summit was scheduled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event had previously been attended and inaugurated by India’s richest billionaires. Modi reported that 3,350 people were infected by his home state on Wednesday.

Indian cities already have imposed weekend lockdowns and night curfews. However, rallies for political change have been ongoing in many states that are scheduled to hold elections in the coming weeks or months.

The matter will be discussed by health authorities and election commissioner officials on Thursday, amid growing concerns over rallies like the one that caused a second devastating wave of violence in the country last April/May.