NITI Aayog: 21 cases of Covid sub-variant JN.1 found in three states
New Delhi: NITI Aayog member (health) Dr VK Paul on Wednesday said 21 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been reported so far across the country, but added that there is no need to panic. Is.
He said the scientific community in India is closely examining the new variant as he stressed the need for states to increase testing and strengthen their surveillance systems. Paul highlighted that around 91 to 92 per cent of those infected are opting for home-based treatment.
According to official sources, 19 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in Goa and one case each in Kerala and Maharashtra. In the last two weeks, 16 deaths related to COVID-19 were recorded, with the victims having serious co-morbidities.
The Center has asked states and union territories to maintain constant surveillance amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country and the detection of the new JN.1 variant. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday reviewed the preparedness of health facilities across the country and stressed on being alert to emerging variants of coronavirus.
Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant said that even though cases are increasing, 92.8 percent of the cases are in home isolation, which is indicative of mild disease.
“No increase has been seen in hospitalization rates due to COVID-19. The cases that have been hospitalized were due to other medical conditions and Covid was an incidental finding,” he said. Some states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Karnataka have seen an increase in the daily positivity rate.
Regarding the new JN.1 variant, Pant said the variant is currently under intensive scientific investigation but is not a cause for immediate concern.
Officials said no cluster of cases caused by the JN.1 variant has been seen in India. He said all the cases were found to be mild and the patients recovered without any complications. India recorded 614 new coronavirus infections in a single day, the highest since May 21, while active cases rose to 2,311, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.
The World Health Organization has classified JN.1 as a separate “variant of interest” due to its rapidly increasing spread, but said it poses a “low” global public health risk.
The world body said on Tuesday that the JN.1 variant was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sublineage, the original lineage that is classified as a VOI. However, in recent weeks, cases of JN.1 have continued to be reported in several countries and its spread has rapidly increased globally.
