India on Thursday recorded 3,016 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day increase in six months, which health experts attribute to seasonal changes. A statement from the Health Ministry said 3,016 new cases have been recorded in the last 24 hours, with the current active COVID-19 caseload standing at 13,509. The current rise in infection rates is due to seasonal changes, Dr. P.V. M. Lakshmi, professor of epidemiology at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh city, told Anadolu. “As the seasons (weather) change, we are seeing a rise in viral infections cases, and when the testing is more, the number of cases would also increase,” she said, advising people to take extra precautions to protect themselves from viral infection. India has recorded over 44 million cases since the outbreak of the infection in 2020. “Active cases stand at 0.03%. Recovery rate currently at 98.78%,” the statement said. According to the ministry’s website, 2.2 billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to people across the country. With the slight resurgence of the coronavirus, several states have begun holding meetings to handle the rising number of infections.