COVID-19 surge: A total of 819 cases of JN.1 sub-variant have been reported from 12 states in India till January 8, said official sources. The officials said that even though the count of JN.1 cases is on the rise, there is currently no need for immediate worry as most individuals contracting the virus are opting for home-based treatment, indicating a mild form of illness.
Maharashtra reports highest JN.1 sub-variant cases
As per the sources, 250 cases were reported from Maharashtra, 199 from Karnataka, 148 from Kerala, 49 from Goa, 36 from Gujarat, 30 each from Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, 26 each from Tamil Nadu and Telangana, 21 from Delhi, three from Odisha and one from Haryana.
Active Covid cases in country recorded at 3,919
India reported 475 fresh cases of Covid, with the total number of active cases standing at 3,919, as per the health ministry said on Tuesday. Within the last 24 hours, six deaths have been recorded, with three in Karnataka, two in Chhattisgarh, and one in Assam, as per the data updated by the ministry at 8 am.
Notably, the number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases began to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.
"The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the sources stated.
India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak highest number of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave in April-June 2021. At its peak, 4,14,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021.Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have got infected and over 5.3 lakh have died since then across the country.
Centre issues guidance to states
The Centre has asked the states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus in the country. The states have been urged to ensure effective compliance of the detailed operational guidelines for the revised Covid surveillance strategy shared with them by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The states have also been asked to monitor and regularly report district-wise cases of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) from all health facilities for an early detection of a rising trend of cases.
WHO on JN.1 variant
The INSACOG's data showed 239 COVID cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 24 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly increasing spread, but said it poses a "low" global public health risk.
The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said. However, in recent weeks, JN.1 cases continued to be reported from multiple countries and its prevalence has rapidly increased globally.
(With inputs from PTI)
