India on Thursday recorded 10,154 new cases of coronavirus, marking the highest single-day rise in eight months, reported PTI.

The total number of Covid-19 cases in the country since the pandemic began in January 2020 stood at 4,47,86,160, government data showed. Fifteen deaths were also reported in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 5,31,025.

The number of active cases in the country stood ad 44,998, while the daily positivity rate was 4.42%, the data showed.

Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

India has been reporting a spurt in coronavirus cases over the last couple of weeks, prompting Haryana, Kerala and Puducherry to bring back the mask mandate.

However, virologists and medical experts say that the rise in cases is not a cause for panic.

“There is nothing we can do except wear masks when there is a surge,” Dr Gagandeep Kang, virologist and professor at the department of gastrointestinal sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore, told Scroll.

Epidemiologist Dr Chandrakant Lahariya said the focus should now be to co-exist safely with the virus. “Our approach should be to avoid a severe outcome because of any pathogen,” said Lahariya. “As a public health expert, I would try and protect vulnerable populations.”