India's daily COVID caseload has risen over four-fold in the last six days, with 33,750 infections reported on Monday, 3 January, around 6,000 more over the day before's tally.

The first day of the new year saw 22,775, 27,553 fresh infection on 2 January and 33,750 cases on 3 January as per the Union Health Ministry.

Along with the spike in daily COVID cases, the active cases have also seen two-fold growth from the last week, crossing the 1 lakh mark to currently stand at 1,45,583 after being just over 75,000 around 10 days ago.

The figure reached 1,04,781 on 1 January and 1,22,801 on 2 January.

India has seen the sudden spike in the COVID cases after the outbreak of new COVID variant Omicron, thought the Delta variant is still the dominant variant in India which has contributed significantly in the surge.

However, a Health Ministry source with the ministry said that Omicron will take over as the dominant variant soon.

Omicron has also registered around three fold increase from the last week.

Public health experts opine that the sudden spike the case reflects that Omicron-led third wave has arrived in India.

Talking to IANS, Dr Amrinder Singh Malhi, Assistant Professor, Cardiac Radiology AIIMS, said that the Omicron-led third wave has started now.

"Due to this new variant Omicron, the whole world is facing the severity of the third wave," he said.

However, he added that the variant does not affect the lungs in the way the Delta variant did, but the upper respiratory system. The immuno-compromised may get lung infection still, he warned.

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT)