Covid Update: 109 JN.1 Cases In India, Karnataka Home Isolation Mandate. Check State Advisories, Symptoms, And More

(MENAFN- Live Mint) "With COVID-19 turning its head again, several states have urged people to follow coronavirus protocols. As of 26 December, the India has reported a total of 109 JN.1 COVID variant cases in the country, health Ministry sources said. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, distinct from its parent lineage BA.2.86. However, the global health body emphasised that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence-19 JN.1 news LIVE updatesHere are 10 latest updates you need to know1. Gujarat records highest number of JN.1 variant casesAs per Health Ministry sources, with 109 JN.1 COVID variant cases, as many as 36 cases were reported from Gujarat, 34 from Karnataka, 14 from Goa, 9 from Maharashtra, six from Kerala, four from Rajasthan, four from Tamil Nadu and two from Telangana, the sources said.
2. Delhi reports 1st JN.1 sub-variant caseAmid rising COVID-19 cases across India, Delhi on Wednesday reported its first case of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1, officials were quoted as saying to PTI. Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said out of the three samples sent for genome sequencing, one is COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 and the other two cases are of Omicron. AIIMS Delhi has issued guidelines for Covid-19 suspected or positive cases. As per the policy on COVID-19 testing, directed by the management, testing will be done for patients with SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) for symptoms with acute respiratory, 12 beds in the C6 ward will be earmarked for hospitalization of seriously ill COVID-19 patients, the memorandum said. In Lady Hardinge Hospital, 48 beds has been reserved for Covid patients. Additionally, 6 ICU beds and a ward with 30 beds have also been reserved for Covid patients in the new building of Lady Hardinge Hospital.3. Gurugram District Magistrate ordered hospitals to set up isolation wardsTwo more cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 were detected in Gurugram on Wednesday, taking the total number of active cases to 10. Gurugram District Magistrate Nishant Kumar Yadav on Wednesday ordered hospitals to set up isolation wards, a dedicated section within each ICU, and a separate OPD for patients having Covid symptoms. A distinct area within the OPD of every hospital is to be designated exclusively for individuals presenting with symptoms indicative of COVID-19. This will facilitate prompt screening. Testing, and initial consultation for suspected cases while minimizing the risk of transmission to other patients, read the order further.4. Himachal Pradesh issued advisory
Himachal Pradesh's health department issued an advisory in the state to test patients with Covid-like symptoms and take necessary precautions. People with symptoms of cold, fever or cough are advised to take a Covid test, Una CMO Dr Sanjeev Kumar said on Tuesday and urged people to wear masks. In cases of respiratory diseases like influenza, cough, cold, sore throat, runny nose, headache and fever, all patients should get an RT-PCR test done immediately, doctors said.5. Karnataka mandates home isolationWearing masks, not sending children with symptoms to schools, adhering to COVID appropriate behaviour like social distancing, seven days home isolation and leave for infected patients, are among the measures that have been decided by the Karnataka government's cabinet sub-committee on coronavirus, amid a spike in cases and detection of JN.1 infections in the state. It has also decided to administer \"precautionary vaccine\" for the aged and those with comorbidities and to get 30,000 doses of Corbevax vaccine from the Centre for this purpose.6. Centre advisory on CovidEarlier last week, Centre had issued an advisory to the state governments urging them to make adequate health arrangements. \"Considering the upcoming festive season, there is a need to put in place requisite public health measures and other arrangements to minimize the risk of increase in transmission of the disease by adherence to the maintenance of respiratory hygiene\", the advisory read. The centre also directed the states to monitor the occurrence of respiratory diseases district-wise.7. Does India need to worry?The recent spike in active covid-19 cases in India could be due to other variants such as BA.2.86 and not just JN.1 variant, experts have said.“Considering that many active cases are not being registered, say those with milder symptoms, it is tough to say that only JN.1 is causing a surge. We have to wait a bit more,\" Gangakhedkar said. With new Covid sub-variant JN.1 fueling a sudden infection surge, former AIIMS director and senior pulmonologist, Dr Randeep Guleria noted though the new variant is spreading rapidly. Though it is not causing severe infections and hospitalisation, he said that as the virus is changing, we need a new jab that 'covers a broader type of the virus' Recently, WHO said that the number of new COVID cases increased by 52 per cent during the past four-odd weeks, with over 850,000 new cases reported during the period8. JN.1 SymptomsSenior consultant in Chest Medicine at Delhi's Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr Ujjwal Prakash has explained that JN.1 is similar to other variants and sub-variants observed globally, ANI has reported. Common symptoms include fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache. Some may also face mild gastrointestinal symptoms. As per Dr Prakash, some patients may witness mild upper respiratory symptoms which typically improve within four to five days. As per media reports, some symptoms might include extreme fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, loss of taste or smell.9. PrecautionsIndividuals with viral infection symptoms should promptly cover themselves, wear masks to minimize the risk of spreading the infection, and undergo testing early.10. Surveillance for diseasesDr. Shekhar C Mande, former Director-General of CSIR, has emphasised the importance of monitoring not only COVID-19 but also other diseases in India. Speaking to ANI, he said, \"Surveillance always helps. I think surveillance is not only for SARS-CoV-2, but I think we should have surveillance for all kinds of different infections and the surveillance essentially means watching what kind of diseases are spreading, like antimicrobial resistance fact, you will know that JN.1 was picked up in many parts of the country from the wastewater surveillance system. So surveillance is a very good idea in any case.\"(With inputs from PTI, ANI)

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