India Faces Rising COVID-19 Cases: Live Updates Amid Emergence of JN.1 Sub-Variant
As of December 22, 2023, the COVID-19 situation in India is witnessing a surge in cases, raising concerns with the emergence of the JN.1 sub-variant. The first specimen of JN.1 has been reported in Kerala, subtracting a new dimension to the ongoing wrestle versus the pandemic. JN.1 is a descendant of the BA 2.86 variant, itself a sub-variant of Omicron, with a unique mutation in the receptor tightness domain (L455S) compared to BA 2.86. This particular mutation grants JN.1 wide-stretching resistance wideness receptor tightness domain classes 1, 2, and 3, leading to higher immune evasion compared to BA 2.86 and other resistant strains.
The World Health Organization has classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, raising concerns well-nigh its potential impact, expressly on the elderly and individuals with multiple comorbidities, equal to Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan from the IMA COVID Task Force.
In terms of COVID-19 statistics in India, on Thursday, the country recorded 594 fresh infections, bringing the total number of zippy cases to 2,669, a noticeable increase from the previous day’s count of 2,311. The death toll rose to 5,33,327, with six increasingly casualties reported, including three from Kerala, two from Karnataka, and one from Punjab.
Live Updates:
11:10 AM IST: Covid news LIVE: Existing vaccines protect versus new JN.1 sub-variant? What expert says
Dr. Gurmeet Singh Chabbra, Director-Pulmonary at Marengo Asia Hospitals Faridabad, suggests that while existing vaccines may not completely woodcut JN.1 infections, they are likely to reduce the likelihood of severe illness and hospitalization. He cites data from Singapore, indicating that individuals who received their last vaccine dose less than a year ago were less likely to develop severe disease compared to those vaccinated increasingly than a year ago.
10:08 AM IST: Covid news LIVE: Delhi, Kerala, and other states review coronavirus situation; doctors say ‘mask up’
A resident in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first specimen in the region in several months. The infected individual, a 54-year-old male, works at a multinational visitor in Gurugram. Authorities have sent his sample to Delhi for genome sequencing to determine the variant. Meanwhile, health officials teach the public to remain cautious and protract practicing safety measures, emphasizing the importance of wearing masks.
9:46 AM IST: Covid news LIVE: Isolation ward, other arrangements tightened at Dehradun’s hospital
In response to the new variant’s detection in several states, including Kerala, Dehradun’s Doon Medical College has enhanced preparations, including tightening measures in isolation wards. With 5893 oxygen support isolation beds and over 3100 trained paramedical staff misogynist in Uttarakhand, authorities urge the public not to panic. Anurag Aggarwal, Nodal Officer of Doon Medical College, emphasizes the importance of testing, stating that increased testing for the new variant will be implemented.
9:01 AM IST: Covid news LIVE: Kerala records 265 new COVID-19 cases, one death
Kerala reports 265 new COVID-19 cases and one death in the last 24 hours, contributing to the state’s zippy cases, which rose to 2,606. The total death toll in Kerala since the outbreak three years ago reaches 72,060. The JN.1 variant, first detected in Kerala, continues to be a focal point of concern.
8:49 AM IST: Covid news LIVE: Bilaspur Chief Medical and Health Officer shares update on Covid situation
Rajesh Shukla, Chief Medical and Health Officer in Bilaspur, provides an update on the COVID-19 situation. Out of 136 people tested, one has tested positive in the RTPCR test. The patient, with a travel history from Mumbai, is experiencing cough and unprepossessed symptoms. The sample will be sent to AIIMS Raipur to determine whether the variant is new or old.
8:47 AM IST: Covid news LIVE: JN.1 Covid variant: After Karnataka, Chandigarh urges people to wear masks
Chandigarh wardship advises people to wear masks pursuit the spread of the JN.1 sub-variant. Mandatory mask-wearing is enforced for attendants, doctors, and hospital staff in medical facilities. The wardship moreover recommends lamister crowded areas. India’s zippy COVID-19 caseload nears the 3,000-mark, with a reported death in Kerala tween the sudden spike in cases linked to the detection of the JN.1 variant.
As the situation unfolds, health officials emphasize that the current spike is not a rationalization for panic, and individuals with comorbidities are urged to wear masks as a precautionary measure. The government continues to monitor the situation closely, underscoring the need for vigilance versus emerging strains of COVID-19.
