Corona Cases In India: A case of sub-variant JN.1 of Covid-19 has been reported in Kerala. News agency PTI gave this information on Saturday (December 16) quoting official sources. The matter came to light on 8 December.
Sources said that the sample of the 79-year-old woman had given positive result in RT-PCR test on November 18. She said she had mild symptoms of influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and had recovered from COVID-19. According to news agency ANI, meanwhile, Kerala MLA KP Mohanan on Saturday inspected the Covid-19 prevention measures at Panoor Municipality Hospital in Kannur.
According to PTI, sources said that currently more than 90 percent of Covid-19 cases in India are mild and are in home isolation. Earlier, the JN.1 sub-variant was also detected in an Indian traveler in Singapore. He was a resident of Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu and had traveled to Singapore on October 25. No increase in cases was seen after the strain was found in Tiruchirappalli district or other places in Tamil Nadu. “No other case of JN.1 variant has been reported in India,” the source said.
What is JN.1 variant?
A source said that the JN.1 sub-variant was first identified in Luxembourg and has since spread to many countries. It comes from the Pirola variant (BA.2.86). It contains a significant number of unique mutations, particularly in the spike protein, which may act to increase infectivity and harm the immune system. The source said that although preliminary data suggests that the updated vaccine and treatment will still provide protection against the JN.1 sub-variant.
Union Health Ministry is keeping an eye on the situation
In the case of the JN.1 sub-variant that has emerged in Kerala, the Government of India has said that mock tests will be conducted in all health facilities in the states as part of the regular exercise of the Union Health Ministry to assess public health and hospital preparedness measures. Drill is being conducted. The Union Health Ministry is in touch with the state health officials and is monitoring the situation.
Karnataka government will conduct mock drills in hospitals
With new Covid cases being reported in neighboring Kerala, the Karnataka government has decided to conduct mock drills in hospitals to check the state’s preparedness. Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told the media after a meeting with health department officials that instructions were issued in the meeting to purchase testing kits through Karnataka Medical Supplies Corporation.
He said, “We have asked officials to procure testing kits, which include RT-PCR test, rapid antigen test and VTM (viral transport medium). The minister said officials have also been directed to conduct mock drills in all hospitals to check how many beds are available including ICU beds, availability of oxygen and medicines.
He said, “I have told the officers to be prepared. Although the situation is not that (worrying) and we should not think like that, if a (Covid-like) situation comes again then we should be prepared.
Tamil Nadu Health Minister said this
Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramaniam said the state government has taken all precautions to deal with any fresh Covid outbreak in view of the recent surge in infection cases in neighboring Kerala and Singapore. He said that health department officials have been asked to take appropriate steps to stop the spread of the virus.
36 cases active in Tamil Nadu
There are 36 active cases in Tamil Nadu and the discharge ratio is 98.94 percent. According to the Covid data available on the central government website, Kerala has the highest number of infection cases among Indian states at 1,144 and the discharge ratio is 98.94 percent. The minister said that health officials in Tamil Nadu are in touch with their counterparts in Kerala and they are closely monitoring the developments.
The minister said, “When I contacted the National University of Singapore, I was told that the infection was mild and lasted for three or four days.” He said the same was the case in Kerala.
339 new cases reported in one day in the country
India reported 339 new Covid-19 infections in a single day, while active cases rose to 1,492, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday.
Currently the number of Covid cases in the country is 4,50,04,481 (4.50 crore). According to the Health Ministry website, the number of people recovering from this disease is currently 4,44,69,678 (4.44 crore), while the national recovery rate is 98.81 percent. The case fatality rate is 1.19 percent. According to the website of the ministry, so far 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been given in the country.