Covid cases continue to surge with India recording a single-day rise of 761 infection incidences while for the first time death toll was in double digit at 12 mortalities. Kerala reported five deaths, four were from Karnataka, two in Maharashtra, and one in Uttar Pradesh, according to the Union Health Ministry.
The number of cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 reported from 12 states till January 4 rose to 619 against 541 reported from nine states as of January 3. Of 619 sub variant cases, 199 cases were from Karnataka, 148 from Kerala, 110 from Maharashtra, 47 from Goa, 36 from Gujarat, 30 from Andhra Pradesh, 26 from Tamil Nadu, 15 from Delhi, 4 from Rajasthan 2 from Telangana and one each from Odisha and Haryana.
The active caseload saw a slight rise from yesterday’s 4,423 to 4,334, the data updated at 8 am stated. The total number of cases stood at 45 million.
The death toll rose to 533,385, with 12 fatalities reported. The case fatality rate was pegged at 1.18 per cent, the Union Health Ministry said. Kerala has the highest number of active Covid cases at 1,249 in India, followed by Karnataka at 1,240, and Maharashtra at 914. Tamil Nadu’s active Covid-19 cases stand at 190, and Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh at 128 each.
However, much to the relief, pointed out the officials, even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness.
The Centre has already asked states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country. States have been told to ensure effective compliance of the detailed operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The WHO has classified JN.1 as a separate “variant of interest” given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a “low” global public health risk.
The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said.
