India Logs 1,226 Covid Cases, Highest From K’taka, Andhra Pradesh

A total of 1,226 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been reported in the country so far
with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh recording the highest number of cases till now,
according to INSACOG on January 18.
Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed that
17 states and UTs have detected the presence of the variant. Karnataka has detected 234 cases
of JN.1 sub-variant followed by Andhra Pradesh (189), Maharashtra (170), Kerala (156),
West Bengal (96), Goa (90), Tamil Nadu (88) and Gujarat (76). Rajasthan recorded 37 JN.1
cases, Telangana 32, Chhattisgarh 25, Delhi 16, Uttar Pradesh 7, Haryana five, Odisha three,
and Uttarakhand and Nagaland one each, according to the data accessed by the news agency.
The Centre has asked the 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.
The states have been urged to ensure effective compliance with the detailed operational
guidelines for the revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared with them by the Union
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The states have also been asked to regularly monitor
and report district-wise cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory
illness (SARI) from all health facilities for early detection of a rising trend of Covid cases.
The WHO has classified JN.1 as a separate “variant of interest” given its rapidly increasing
spread but said it poses a low global health risk.