Gayathri Kallukaran is a Junior Journalist with Eastern Eye. She has a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Paul’s College, Bengaluru, and brings over five years of experience in content creation, including two years in digital journalism. She covers stories across culture, lifestyle, travel, health, and technology, with a creative yet fact-driven approach to reporting. Known for her sensitivity towards human interest narratives, Gayathri’s storytelling often aims to inform, inspire, and empower. Her journey began as a layout designer and reporter for her college’s daily newsletter, where she also contributed short films and editorial features. Since then, she has worked with platforms like FWD Media, Pepper Content, and Petrons.com, where several of her interviews and features have gained spotlight recognition. Fluent in English, Malayalam, Tamil, and Hindi, she writes in English and Malayalam, continuing to explore inclusive, people-focused storytelling in the digital space.
Covid-19 infections are seeing a mild resurgence in parts of South Asia, with India reporting more than 1,000 active cases as of 26 May 2025. While overall numbers remain significantly lower than during previous waves, health authorities across the region have urged caution as new variants have been identified and localised outbreaks persist.
In India, the Ministry of Health confirmed 1,009 active cases across the country, marking a steady rise in recent weeks. The states of Kerala, Maharashtra, and Delhi are currently among the worst affected. Delhi alone has crossed the 100-case mark, with urban centres in southern and western India also experiencing a gradual increase.
Health officials in India are particularly concerned about the emergence of two new Covid-19 variants. A case of the NB.1.8.1 variant was identified in Tamil Nadu in April, while four cases of the LF.7 variant were reported in Gujarat earlier in May. Both variants are being closely monitored by researchers to determine their potential impact, with preliminary studies suggesting the need for vigilance but no immediate cause for alarm.
Authorities in Nagpur, Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala have reported localised increases in Covid-19-related illnesses. Although the majority of new infections remain mild or asymptomatic, hospitals have been advised to maintain readiness for any future escalation.
In Bangladesh, the most recent publicly available data dates back to July 2023, when the country reported around 2.05 million total cases and 29,477 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. At the time, the number of active cases stood at 18,331, but no significant updates have been issued by Bangladeshi health authorities in 2024 or 2025.
Nepal last reported Covid-19 data in May 2023, with over 1 million confirmed infections and 12,031 deaths. The number of active cases at that time was 28, and no official updates have been released since. The low count may reflect a combination of reduced testing and minimal public health reporting, rather than a complete absence of cases.
In Sri Lanka, data from July 2023 indicated 672,729 total cases and 16,893 deaths, with just eight active cases recorded. The Sri Lankan government has not provided any newer figures, and the situation appears stable, though the absence of updates makes current conditions difficult to assess accurately.
Pakistan's National Institute of Health (NIH) responded in January 2025 to online speculation about a new Covid-19 surge, stating that there was no significant rise in infections. The agency confirmed that the situation remained under control, and no new health advisories have been issued since.
Across the region, testing rates remain much lower than during earlier phases of the pandemic, making it difficult to get a complete picture of the current transmission levels. However, health experts have warned that complacency could prove costly if a more transmissible or immune-evasive variant emerges.
While the World Health Organisation has not issued any updated guidance specific to South Asia in recent weeks, it continues to recommend vaccinations, especially booster doses for vulnerable populations. Many countries in the region have moved to an endemic phase in their pandemic response, with Covid-19 management integrated into general healthcare systems.
For UK residents with family ties or travel plans in South Asia, the recent trends may be a reminder to stay informed and exercise caution. Travellers are encouraged to check the latest government travel advice and ensure vaccinations are up to date before visiting the region.
Although current figures remain a fraction of the pandemic’s peak, the detection of new variants and the gradual rise in active cases suggest that Covid-19 has not disappeared. Public health officials continue to monitor developments closely, especially in densely populated urban areas where transmission could accelerate quickly.
As of now, there are no major travel restrictions or quarantine mandates in any South Asian country due to Covid-19. However, authorities have advised citizens, especially those with underlying health conditions, to practise basic hygiene measures and seek medical advice if symptoms emerge.
Key numbers (as of 26 May 2025):
India: 1,009 active cases; new variants NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 detected
Bangladesh: Last reported data (July 2023) – 2.05 million total cases, 18,331 active cases
Nepal: Last reported data (May 2023) – 1 million+ cases, 28 active cases
Sri Lanka: Last reported data (July 2023) – 672,729 total cases, 8 active cases
Pakistan: No rise in cases reported as of January 2025
With a fresh reminder that the virus continues to circulate, health experts advise staying informed and prepared, particularly in international settings.
INDIA has alerted Pakistan about a possible flood in the Tawi River, according to a media report on Monday, while heavy rains and rising river levels have forced evacuations in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Citing official sources, The News reported that India contacted Pakistan to share information about potential flooding in Jammu’s Tawi River. The Indian High Commission in Islamabad conveyed the alert on Sunday, the paper said. There has been no official confirmation from either India or Pakistan.
The report added that Pakistani authorities have issued warnings based on the information. It is the first such contact since the India-Pakistan conflict in May, according to the paper. Normally, such alerts are shared through the Indus Water Commissioner.
A day after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which had governed the distribution and use of the Indus River and its tributaries between the two countries since it was brokered by the World Bank.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned of heavy rainfall across most parts of the country until August 30. The country has already been hit by earlier monsoon spells from June 26 to August 20, which left 788 people dead and 1,018 injured as of Saturday.
Flooding has worsened in Punjab, where around 20,000 people have been evacuated over the past 24 hours, officials said on Sunday.
“People from Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar and Vehari have been moved to safety after several villages submerged under floodwater,” Farooq Ahmad, spokesperson for Punjab Emergency Services Rescue 1122, said.
The affected areas are located near the Indus, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Jhelum rivers. Ahmad said evacuations of populations in the Sutlej and Ravi riverbeds have been completed.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said emergency operations were continuing across multiple districts, with a fresh monsoon spell forecast until August 27.
The Sutlej River has reached a high flood level at Ganda Singh Wala. “The situation at Ganda Singh Wala is critical and expected to persist for the next 48 hours,” the PDMA warned, adding that water levels in the Indus at Tarbela and Kalabagh are also rising.
“The epicentre of the crisis remains Sutlej, where authorities are focusing evacuation efforts in areas like Jalalpur Pirwala. We have begun relocating residents to prevent any potential damage. Their lives and property are our primary concern,” the authority said.
The government has urged citizens to cooperate with rescue agencies and avoid recreational activities near rivers and canals.
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In her social media post, Haley said, 'India must take Trump’s point over Russian oil seriously, and work with the White House to find a solution. The sooner the better.'
INDIA should take president Donald Trump’s concerns over its purchase of Russian crude oil seriously and work with the White House to resolve the matter, US Republican leader Nikki Haley has said.
The Trump administration has been sharply critical of India’s imports of discounted Russian oil. Washington, however, has not voiced the same criticism against China, which is the largest buyer of Russian crude.
India has defended its imports, saying its energy procurement is guided by national interest and market conditions.
Haley, the Indian-origin Republican leader and former South Carolina governor, posted on X on Saturday a portion of an opinion piece she had written in Newsweek four days earlier. Her post came after she faced criticism within her party over the article.
In the piece, Haley wrote that India should be treated as a “prized free and democratic partner” and not like an adversary such as China. “Scuttling 25 years of momentum with the only country that can serve as a counterweight to Chinese dominance in Asia would be a strategic disaster,” she said.
In her social media post, Haley said, “India must take Trump’s point over Russian oil seriously, and work with the White House to find a solution. The sooner the better.”
She added, “Decades of friendship and goodwill between the world’s two largest democracies provide a solid basis to move past the current turbulence. Navigating issues like trade disagreements and Russian oil imports demands hard dialogue. But, we should not lose sight of what matters most: our shared goals. To face China, the United States must have a friend in India.”
Several Trump administration officials have criticised India for its energy ties with Russia. White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro on Wednesday accused India of running a “profiteering scheme” by using discounted Russian crude and then selling refined petroleum products at higher prices in Europe and elsewhere.
Washington has argued that India’s purchases help fund Moscow’s war in Ukraine. India has rejected the charge.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar, responding to a question on Saturday, said, “It’s funny to have people who work for a pro-business American administration accusing other people of doing business. That’s really curious. If you have a problem buying oil or refined products from India, don’t buy it. Nobody forces you to buy it. But Europe buys, America buys, so you don’t like it, don’t buy it.”
Relations between New Delhi and Washington have been strained after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including 25 per cent additional duties linked to India’s Russian oil imports.
India turned to discounted Russian crude after Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow and reduced purchases following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan had not requested any mediation in its talks with India, but was offered a meeting at a neutral venue. (Photo: Getty Images)
PAKISTAN is ready for a “comprehensive dialogue with India” to discuss Kashmir and other issues, foreign minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday (22).
Dar, who also holds the portfolio of the deputy prime minister, said Pakistan was clear from the outset that discussions with India would not take place on any single-point agenda.
“Talks, whenever held, will be not just Kashmir but on all issues,” he told reporters outside the parliament in Islamabad.
India has maintained that it will have a dialogue with Pakistan over Kashmir and crossborder terrorism.
Dar said Pakistan had not requested any mediation in its talks with India, but was offered a meeting at a neutral venue.
“We were told to sit down at a neutral location, and I said if that is the case, we are willing to meet,” he said.
The minister also claimed the US has nudged Islamabad towards a ceasefire with India.
“I received a call from the US for a ceasefire,” Dar said. “I had made it clear that Pakistan did not want a war.”
An attack by terrorists on April 22 in Indian Kashmir’s Pahalgam left 26 people dead, prompting Delhi to launch strikes under ‘operation Sindoor’. Four days of drone and missile strikes followed, before India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict.
Dar said the ceasefire with India was in place.
His comments came as Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir on Friday and discussed regional security and counter-terrorism.
“Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen the all-weather strategic partnership and enhance coordination at regional and international forums,” the army said in a statement on Friday.
“Wang Yi reiterated China’s steadfast support for Pakistan’s sovereignty and development,” it added.
On Thursday (21), Wang and Dar held talks to review the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 2.0, trade and economic relations, multilateral cooperation, and people-to-people ties.
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Khan, 72, in a social media post following the verdict, said the end of the 'night of oppression' in his country was near. (Photo: Getty Images)
PAKISTAN's Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to former prime minister Imran Khan in eight cases linked to the May 9 violence.
The violence erupted on May 9, 2023, when Khan’s supporters engaged in vandalism and rioting after his detention by law enforcement in Islamabad. Multiple cases were registered against Khan and leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party for their alleged involvement.
A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, granted bail after hearing arguments from Khan’s lawyer Salman Safdar and Punjab Special Prosecutor Zulfiqar Naqvi, who represented the state.
Khan, 72, in a social media post following the verdict, said the end of the “night of oppression” in his country was near.
“My message to the entire nation, to my workers and to the party leadership is that your captain is still standing tall with his head held high. Have no fear," Khan said.
“We must not, under any circumstances, bow our heads down before tyranny and oppression. Remember -- no matter how long and dark the night may be, dawn is certain to break. The end of this night of oppression is near. God willing, the sun of justice and freedom will soon rise," he said.
PTI welcomed the ruling with the hashtag “Victory For Imran Khan” on X. Its international spokesman Zulfiqar Bukhari said Khan now required bail in just one case.
“Supreme Court has granted bail to Imran Khan for May 9th cases, now bail is needed for just one more case (Al Qadir case) for Mr Khan to come out of jail,” he said.
Bukhari added that despite the relief, Khan would not be released because of his conviction in the Al-Qadir Trust case.
Khan had earlier filed a bail petition before a Lahore anti-terrorism court in cases related to the May 9 riots, including the attack on the Lahore corps commander’s residence, but it was dismissed in November 2024. His plea was later rejected by the Lahore High Court on June 24 this year. Khan then challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.
The former prime minister continues to face multiple other cases filed against him after his ouster from office in April 2022. He has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is serving a sentence in the 190 million pounds Al-Qadir graft case at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi.
(With inputs from agencies)
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FILE PHOTO: Ranil Wickremesinghe (R) and his wife Maithree arrive for an official dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on June 22, 2023. (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images)
FORMER president Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by Sri Lankan police on Friday (22), following a crackdown on corruption by the government.
Sri Lanka's anti-graft units have led the crackdown since president Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power in September on a promise to fight corruption.
Wickremesinghe, 76, who lost the last election to Dissanayake, was taken into custody after being questioned about a September 2023 visit to London to attend a ceremony for his wife at a British university, a police detective said.
"We are producing him before the Colombo Fort magistrate," the officer said, adding that they were pressing charges for using state resources for personal purposes.
Wickremesinghe had stopped in London in 2023 on his way back from Havana, where he attended a G77 summit. His office had previously denied that he abused his position to visit London.
Three of his then senior aides were questioned this month by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
He and his wife, Maithree, attended a University of Wolverhampton ceremony where she was conferred an honorary professorship.
Wickremesinghe had maintained that his wife's travel expenses were met by her and that no state funds were used.
However, the CID alleged that Wickremesinghe used government money for his travel on a private visit and that his bodyguards were also paid by the state.
Wickremesinghe became president in July 2022 for the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa's term after Rajapaksa stepped down following months of street protests over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
Wickremesinghe secured a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in early 2023 and was credited with stabilising the economy after the country's worst-ever financial meltdown in 2022.