India sees surge in COVID cases, raising concerns.

India has seen a rise in daily new COVID-19 cases, with a new variant, XBB.1.16, potentially being the reason behind the surge. Despite the increase in cases, experts say there is no need to panic as the symptoms are relatively mild and the rise in infections has not resulted in a rise in serious cases. The Indian government is expanding vaccination coverage, especially among high-risk and vulnerable sections of society, and has instructed state authorities to undertake mock drills at health facilities to ensure operational readiness of medical infrastructure.