India records highest COVID cases in 7 months with 636 fresh infections in last 24 hrs, Leh makes masks mandatory in public

On Sunday, India recorded 841 cases in the last 24 hours, which is the first time in seven months.

The current surge is much driven by the JN.1 sub-variant, which is spreading across the country.

In Kerala, the infections have peaked, as the state logs the highest counts in the current phase.

The Maharashtra government on Monday said that 29 people have been detected with the new JN.1 variant of coronavirus.

The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till Dec 5, but cases have again gone up after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.

The total number of active cases right now stands at 4,394.

Amid rising cases, the Leh district administration on Monday said wearing masks in public places will be mandatory for people.

"In view of rising COVID-19 cases in the district, precautionary measures to contain the spread of COVID-19... are hereby ordered to be followed strictly. People must ensure compulsory wearing of facemasks in offices, workplaces and public places, including public transport," District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) CEO Santosh Sukhadeve said in an official order.

With three more deaths reported in a 24-hour period, the total death toll was recorded at 5,33,364.