Due to the new variant of Corona JN.1, the pace of infection is increasing in many other countries including India. Within the last month, a rapid increase in the number of infected people has been recorded in many states of the country. According to data released by the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday, 573 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours, with this the number of active cases in the country has increased to 4,565. One person has also died due to COVID-19 in Haryana and Karnataka. Health experts appeal to all people to protect themselves from Corona.
In recent reports, Omicron sub-variant JN.1 has been confirmed in ten states so far. According to media reports, till January 1, about 263 people in the country have been found infected with this new variant. Given the increasing cases, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi has also issued guidelines for suspected or positive cases of Covid-19 to be reported in hospitals.
JN.1 is a sub-variant of Omicron, but are its characteristics different from earlier variants? Can this new variant take a dangerous form, let us understand.
Wearing a mask is mandatory in Leh
Given the increasing threat of Corona, wearing masks in public places has been made mandatory in the Union Territory of Leh on Monday. People have been appealed to maintain social distancing in offices and public places. 11 new cases were registered in Leh last week, given which this decision has been taken.
In the order issued by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), people must ensure to wear face masks compulsorily in offices and public places, including public transport. These measures are necessary to stop the increasing spread of corona.
Infection cases increased in these states
Among the ten states in India where infections with the new JN.1 variant has been confirmed, Kerala and Goa are the most affected. 133 people have been found infected with JN.1 in Kerala and 51 in Goa. Apart from this, cases have been reported in Gujarat (34 cases), Karnataka (8 cases), Maharashtra (nine), Rajasthan (5 cases), Tamil Nadu (4 cases) and Telangana (2 cases). According to the report of the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), so far one person is a victim of the new variant in Odisha and Delhi.
On Monday, Maharashtra recorded 70 cases of Covid-19 with a positivity rate of 2.09 percent, while 131 cases were reported on Sunday. No deaths have been reported but there are 693 active cases in the state, of which 42 are in hospitals, nine of those admitted are in ICU and 33 are in non-ICU wards, an official said.
Is the risk of serious cases increasing?
In Maharashtra, nine people have been kept in ICU due to Corona, in such a situation questions arise whether the risk of serious diseases is also increasing due to the JN.1 variant? Media reports in this regard show that most of the people admitted to the ICU are victims of comorbidities, who already have some type of chronic problems like heart disease, diabetes, kidney, liver, or lung disease.
Research so far has shown that the new variant is infectious, but due to this, the risk of severity of the disease in people is not high. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also said that although the pace of infection due to the new variant is seen to be higher, the global public health risk from it is "low".
Are its symptoms different from earlier variants?
The researchers say, Omicron's B.A. The JN.1 variant has an additional mutation compared to 2.86. However, it causes similar symptoms as earlier Omicron variants. People infected with JN.1 are experiencing fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and, in some cases, gastrointestinal problems. Some patients may also experience difficulty in breathing. All these symptoms have been seen in earlier variants also.
Health experts say, currently, there is no evidence to show that this variant is more serious or has a higher mortality rate than other variants. However, everyone should not be negligent in taking preventive measures.
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