COVID-19 cases in
India are on the surge again. Several states and Union Territories are
reporting a rise in infections. The Indian health ministry reported 2,067 new
coronavirus cases on Wednesday, a steep rise from the near-1,000 count posted
last week. With mask mandates returning and state governments becoming alert,
there is speculation about whether the Omicron BA.2, the newest COVID
sub-variant on the block will trigger a fourth wave.

Addressing these
concerns, Dr R Gangakhedar, former chief scientist of the Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR), said that chances of a fourth wave haven’t become
imminent so far, reported news agency ANI.

Why the
concerns

While the rise in
new coronavirus cases hasn’t been as steep as it happened for the other waves,
a significant rise has occurred. Daily case numbers have nearly doubled over
the last week. On April 13, India reported 1,007 fresh coronavirus cases.

Also Read | How viable is conducting IPL 2022? COVID cases in Delhi camp rise to six

Meanwhile, India’s
R-value has gone up beyond 1 for the first time in three months, according to a
researcher from the Indian Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Chennai, Tamil
Nadu. R-value is the reproduction number which indicates how fast the virus is
spreading.

Reason for optimism

According to the
former ICMR chief, sub-lineages of the Omicron variant are already present in
India and no new variants have been reported so far.

“I don’t think
this is the fourth wave by any chance. One thing we have to understand is that
the entire world continues to have BA.2 variants, which is infecting people
every day,” he said.

Also Read | Omicron can increase your child’s risk of respiratory and cardiac illness: Report

The former chief
of India’s premier medical body believes that doing away with pandemic curbs
with schools and colleges reopening and people giving up mask-wearing is the
cause of the current surge in COVID-19 cases.

Dr Gangakhedar
further told ANI that the Omicron infection will last six to nine months and
recombinant variants are an accident that will not lead to a fourth wave.

Also Read | India on the path to world’s first warm COVID vaccine: Study

“The last thing which
we have to remember is when we talk in terms of these newer variants, which are
coming BA.4, BA.5 from South Africa, and the recombinant variants that are
coming, there are two factors which will have proven that these variants
continue to belong to the Omicron family.”

“So, whatever
protection that natural infection has given us is likely to persist for a
longer period. It could be about six to nine months’ time,” the top doctor
said. He added that India need not worry in terms of the emergence of a fourth
wave.