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New Delhi: India recorded 312 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, including 280 from Kerala, which has been seeing a in cases over the past week. As per government data, the fresh cases came out of 17,605 tests conducted in the past 24 hours. The latest data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has confirmed the presence of JN.1 variant in Kerala, which is currently seeing an uptick in Covid cases. The Union Ministry of Health has initiated preparedness measures after a case of the JN.1 subvariant of COVID has been identified in Kerala as part of the ongoing routine surveillance conducted by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), said a government release on Saturday.
Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), confirmed this development during a press briefing in New Delhi. A mock drill is underway in health facilities across states, evaluating public health and hospital readiness. This exercise, overseen by district collectors, commenced on December 13 and is scheduled for completion by December 18, 2023. The Union Ministry of Health maintains regular communication with the State Department of Health in Kerala and closely monitors various points of entry. While the majority of cases in Kerala are reported to be clinically mild, the health authorities emphasize the importance of ongoing vigilance and preparedness to effectively manage the evolving situation related to COVID-19 variants.
The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a network of Genomic Laboratories, has been actively monitoring the genomic aspects of COVID-19 in India. The detection of the JN.1 subvariant is in line with revised surveillance guidelines that involve testing patients with Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) for COVID-19. Positive cases are then referred for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).
The latest data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has confirmed the presence of JN.1 variant in Kerala, which is currently seeing an uptick in Covid cases. JN.1 is a sub-lineage of the BA.2.86 Omicron variant and was first detected in Luxembourg in August, before spreading to other countries.
As the southern state has been detecting the JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron which has raised fresh concerns, authorities have stressed the need for continuous monitoring of the virus. According to news reports, if the cases continue to rise in the state, the Kerala government may also impose restrictions and preventive measures in sensitive areas.
NOTE: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the JN.1 subvariant of Omicron as a “notable descendent lineage,” signalling potential increased transmissibility compared to its predecessors. But, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently reports no evidence of increased public health risk or severity compared to other circulating variants.
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