NEW DELHI: Covid cases are rising in the country raising fears of a fourth wave. 2,451 fresh cases were reported in the last 24 hours. The Covid cases have crossed 2,000 for the third day in a row. It is also suspected whether the increase in the cases is pointing towards a fourth wave. However, the rise in recovery rate offers a slight relief. The number of people admitted to hospitals have also dropped.

The emergence of new Covid clusters in various places is also a matter of concern. Last day, 12 students of Madras IIT were tested positive. Out of the 18 people tested, 12 were positive.

The reason for the rise in Covid cases is not yet clear. There is lack of clarity in whether the current spread is caused by new genetically modified variants or old variants. Covid restrictions were lifted in several states as the number of patients declined after the third wave.

Omicron, the most powerful variant globally, has four sub-variants namely BA1, BA2, BA3 and BA4. Out of the four, BA1 and BA2 are the most common in India. XE, a hybrid of BA1 and BA2, was also detected in India.