BM Bureau, March 23 :

As India witnessed the highest number of Covid cases in over four months, former AIIMS director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday said the new XBB.1.16 variant could be driving the recent rise but emphasised there was no need for panic as long it does not cause severe illness and deaths. New variants will keep coming as the virus keeps on mutating over time and the XBB 1.16 is sort of a “new kid on the block”, Guleria told PTI in an interview.

Meanwhile a high level meeting of officials was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to review the situation.