India has detected one case of the newly emerging Covid-19 variant NB.1.8.1 and four cases of another subvariant, LF.7, according to recent data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).
As of May 2025, both NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 are categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Variants Under Monitoring not yet classified as Variants of Concern or Variants of Interest. Nonetheless, these subvariants are believed to be contributing to a rise in Covid-19 cases in China and other parts of Asia.
In India, the case of NB.1.8.1 was reported in April from Tamil Nadu, while the LF.7 cases were all found in Gujarat during May.
Currently, the dominant Covid-19 strain in the country remains the JN.1 variant, which accounts for 53% of the cases tested. This is followed by the BA.2 subvariant at 26%, with other Omicron-related sublineages making up the remaining 20%.
Although WHO’s preliminary assessment suggests that NB.1.8.1 poses a low risk to global public health, it contains spike protein mutations (A435S, V445H, and T478I) that may enhance both its transmissibility and ability to evade immune responses.
As of May 19, India had 257 active Covid-19 cases. A recent review of the situation, led by the Director General of Health Services and attended by experts from the National Centre for Disease Control, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and other leading health agencies, assessed the current trends.
Despite relatively low nationwide figures, some areas have reported localized spikes. Delhi recorded 23 new cases, Andhra Pradesh reported four in the past 24 hours, Telangana confirmed one new infection, and a nine-month-old infant in Bengaluru tested positive amid a gradual increase over the last three weeks. Kerala alone reported 273 cases in May.
