New Delhi, India has reported a total of 21 cases of the new coronavirus variant, JN.1, from different parts of the country, according to NITI Aayog member (Health) VK Paul. Among these cases, Goa has reported 19 instances of the JN.1 variant, while Maharashtra and Kerala have reported one case each, as per sources.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently conducted a review of the COVID-19 situation and the preparedness of public health systems, particularly in areas experiencing a surge in COVID cases.
“It’s important to be on alert and be prepared against new and emerging strains of the coronavirus,” stated Mr. Mandaviya, according to a statement by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
During the review, he emphasized the need for seamless collaboration between the central government and the states to ensure an effective response to COVID. Mr. Mandaviya suggested conducting mock drills every three months at both central and state levels and sharing best practices.
The Health Minister reminded everyone that the COVID situation is not over, underscoring the importance of monitoring emerging instances of COVID cases, symptoms, and case severity to plan an appropriate public health response.
Health Ministry official Sudhansh Pant, providing an update on the global and domestic COVID situation, noted that while cases in India are significantly lower compared to global figures, there has been a notable increase in active cases in the past two weeks, rising from 115 on December 6 to 614 presently.
Of these cases, 92.8% are in-home isolation, indicating mild illness, and there has been no observed increase in hospitalization rates due to COVID. Pant mentioned that hospitalized cases are primarily due to other medical conditions, with COVID being an incidental finding. He also highlighted a rise in daily positivity rates in Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Karnataka. Positivity rate refers to the number of confirmed cases per 100 tests.
Regarding the JN.1 variant, Pant stated that it is under rigorous scientific scrutiny but is not an immediate cause for concern. No clustering of cases related to the JN.1 variant has been observed in India, and all reported cases were found to be mild, recovering without complications.
