The new variant of coronavirus JN.1 has been seen spreading rapidly across the world for the last two months. According to media reports, it has spread to more than 40 countries in a short time. Given the increasing infection, scientists have cautioned people that this variant can emerge as a threat in the future, and all people need to be careful to prevent it. In many countries, there is a fear of another wave of infection due to this new variant.
In India too, the JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron is being seen increasing the infection rapidly. Data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has alerted everyone that this new variant has spread to most parts of India, which can be a dangerous sign. What kind of risks can be caused by this variant of Corona, will there be a need for a fresh booster vaccination to protect against it? Let us know about this.
Again more than 700 cases in the last 24 hours
First, let us look at the Covid-19 data of the last 24 hours in the country. According to the data updated by the Union Health Ministry, 756 new cases of corona have been reported in the country, with this the total number of active infected people has now increased to 4049.
INSACOG data shows that JN.1 has become the dominant strain in India. The variant has spread to almost all parts of India, except the eastern region – where Odisha and West Bengal have reported the variant.
New variant spread in almost all parts of the country
According to the data, the maximum impact of the JN.1 variant is being seen in the southern states. After that, cases of infection are being reported from the northern and western states. Of all Covid positive samples tested from the former states at INSACOG laboratories in the last week of December, only 28.6 percent were from JN.1. In comparison, in the testing of samples coming from southern states, the results of 95-100 percent of the samples are being seen to be infected with the new variant.
The monthly report shows that there has been a sharp increase in JN.1 cases in December. According to INSACOG data till Sunday, 503 out of 536 JN.1 cases have been detected in sample testing of December only.
536 cases in 12 states
According to data updated on the INSACOG website on Sunday, the JN.1 variant has so far been detected in 682 samples from 12 states and union territories. The highest number of 154 cases of the new variant has been reported in Kerala. After this, there are 111 cases in Maharashtra, 76 in Gujarat, 51 in Goa, 32 each in Rajasthan and Telangana, 29 in Andhra Pradesh, 22 in Tamil Nadu, 16 in Delhi, eight in Karnataka, three in Odisha and two in West Bengal.
Nature of JN.1 is infectious
Regarding the infectious nature of JN.1, Dr. Vikramjit Singh, senior physician of the Intensive Care Unit, explains, that this variant easily escapes the immune response, due to which all people can be at risk of infection. It is definitely contagious but does not seem to be the cause of serious diseases. In most cases, infected people suffer from fever, cough, cold, headache, gastrointestinal disorders, and in some people, breathing problems. However, its biggest danger is that this very fast-spreading variant has been found in some population.
(PC: Freepik)
