India has logged 2,183 fresh COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. This is a high figure compared to what we have been witnessing for the past few weeks. The active caseload in India stands at 11,542.

The increase in Covid-19 cases in cities like Delhi and Gurugram has been causing concern. There is a fear that the fourth wave is going to start soon.

Weighing in on the same, Prof. Manindra Agarwal of IIT Kanpur has said that there is no reason to believe that the fourth wave is upon us. "The present rise in cases appears to be the result of the lifting of curbs. It looks like a result of life returning to normalcy," he has told Times Of India.

Dr Gagandeep Kang has told NDTV that the XE variant may or may not be causing the new surge. Even if it is XE that is the culprit, there may not be anything much to worry about. "XE does not cause more serious disease than BA.1 or BA.2," Kang added.

But aren't children at greater risk if the fourth wave arises? "About 80 percent of children have already been infected as per sero surveys," an expert said.