Amidst the ongoing surveillance for COVID-19 variants, Delhi has reported 16 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant, a recent addition to the evolving landscape of the virus. Majority of these patients are recovering in home isolation, Delhi officials revealed on Tuesday.
The capital’s first case of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 emerged just last week, marking the beginning of this local surge. Out of the 19 samples subjected to genome sequencing, 15 were found to be of the JN.1 variant, while two exhibited the XBB sub-variant, with the remaining samples showing different variants, officials confirmed.
An official provided reassurance regarding the situation, highlighting that the patients diagnosed with the JN.1 variant are comfortably managing in home isolation. “The first patient, admitted briefly due to mild symptoms, has recovered. Among the 15 patients under home isolation, four have already recovered,” the official stated.
Echoing this sentiment, Delhi’s Health Minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, emphasized that the recent cases exhibit mild infections, calming concerns among the public. “The current scenario does not indicate a significant spike in cases. The infections reported are mild, presenting with symptoms like a mild cough, cold, or fever. Recoveries are swift. At present, there’s no cause for alarm,” he assured.
Nationwide, 312 instances of the JN.1 sub-variant have been identified, with Kerala accounting for nearly half of these cases. Apart from Delhi, multiple states and Union territories, including Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, among others, have reported cases of this sub-variant, according to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).
The INSACOG’s findings disclosed that December witnessed 279 recorded instances of the JN.1 variant, followed by 33 cases detected in November. As the surveillance continues, health authorities remain vigilant, emphasizing the manageable nature of these cases and urging the public not to panic.
Sources By Agencies