India witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases on Friday, with 640 new infections reported. The active cases increased from 2,669 to 2,997, according to data from the Union health ministry. The country's total COVID-19 tally now stands at 4.50 crore (4,50,07,212), with the death toll reaching 5,33,328.

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The national recovery rate remains high at 98.81%, with 4,44,70,887 individuals having recovered from the disease. The case fatality rate stands at 1.19%. Notably, 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across the country.

In Bulandshahr district, a 17-year-old boy tested positive for COVID-19 in the Jahangirabad area. Although he has been isolated, his family members and clinic staff tested negative. The confirmation of the JN-1 sub-variant is pending, awaiting genome sequencing.

Simultaneously, Lucknow reported a case of an elderly woman testing positive for COVID-19, with no positive contacts identified. Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak assured that there is no need for panic, emphasizing that it's a sub-variant, not a new variant.

The state Health Department in Karnataka is considering implementing guidelines for school children amid a surge in COVID-19 cases. Officials are closely monitoring the situation and might enforce measures like compulsory mask-wearing, social distancing, and sanitization in schools, particularly in the first week of January.

Meanwhile, Bengaluru reported 23 new positive cases, bringing the total to 25 in the state. Notably, a baby from Nallur in Devanahalli taluk tested positive, prompting isolation and treatment at the taluk hospital. The total active patients in the state rose to 105, with 85 isolated at home and 20 hospitalized, including nine in the ICU.

The authorities conducted 2,263 COVID-19 tests in the last 24 hours, with a positivity rate of 1.6%. Eleven individuals were discharged during this period, contributing to the overall efforts to combat the pandemic.