Covid Cases In India: Govt Directs States To Send Test Samples For Genome Sequencing Amid JN.1 Outbreak | Top 10 Updates
Date
12/24/2023 4:01:31 AM
(MENAFN- Live Mint) "With an aim to set up a vigil for any concerning variant of coronavirus infection, the government of India has been directing states to send samples of all COVID-19 test swabs for whole genome sequencing after the country witnessed an outbreak of JN.1 sub-variant of SARS-COV2.
So far, India has reported 22 cases of COVID subvariant JN.1. The affected states, including Maharashtra, Goa, Puducherry, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab, and Telangana, have amped up their preparedness against the new variant.
Here are the top 10 updates on Covid cases in India,
1) The number of active COVID cases in Gurugram district reached four after two more instances of the infection were detected, the health department said on Saturday, adding that it has collected samples from 102 people on Saturday and sent those for testing.
2) The Mizoram government appealed to the people of the state to adhere to COVID-appropriate behavior during the upcoming Christmas-New Year festive season given an increase in JN.1 sub-variant cases in some parts of the country.3) The Assam Health Department has also directed all hospitals in the state to make arrangements to fight against COVID after the detection of many cases of the new COVID subvariant JN.1.4) India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) chief Dr NK Arora said that no additional dose of vaccine is needed against the subvariant at present, ANI reports.
5)“I would say prevention is required for all those who are 60 years of age or older, who are likely to have comorbidities and those who are on drugs that suppress our immunity, like cancer patients. If they have not taken precautions so far, then they are advised to take precautions; otherwise, there is no need for any additional doses,” Dr. Arora said.
Also Read: Live updates on Covid cases in India6) The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently designated JN.1 as a variant of interest, differentiating it from its parent lineage BA.2.86. Despite its swift dissemination, the global health organization has underscored that the overall risk associated with JN.1 is currently considered low based on available evidence.7) Bihar has also reported two Covid-19 cases. Following this, CM Nitish Kumar called to spread awareness about Covid-appropriate behavior through social media and other channels and issued instructions that hospital staff must be told to wear masks.8) Odisha also detected a fresh COVID-19 case and the spread of the JN.1 variant in some parts of southern India. The Odisha government on Saturday advised elderly persons and those with comorbidities to wear masks.9) A health official has said that Jharkhand is prepared to deal with any spurt in COVID-19 cases, although the situation is presently under control.
10) India saw a single-day rise of 752 coronavirus infections, the highest since May 21 this year, while active cases have increased to 3,420, the health ministry said.
(With inputs from agencies)
MENAFN24122023007365015876ID1107652691
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.