Admitting that India has registered a rise in the daily COVID-19 positivity rate in some States, including Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Karnataka, the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday, while issuing an alert, said that no clustering of cases had been reported in the new JN.1 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
“The variant is currently under intense scientific scrutiny but not a cause of immediate concern. All JN.1 cases were found to be mild and all of them have recovered without any complications,” the Ministry said.
NITI Aayog Member (Health) V.K. Paul added that India has detected 21 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant JN.1 till now, and about 91%-92% of those infected are opting for home-based treatment. “Nineteen cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been traced in Goa, and one each in Kerala and Maharashtra. Over the past two weeks, 16 deaths related to COVID-19 were recorded, with many of the deceased having serious comorbidities,” Dr. Paul added.
