Delhi has recorded its first case of the JN.1 COVID-19 sub-variant even as the total number of such infections in the country surged to 110.
COVID-19 Update: Delhi on Wednesday reported its first case of JN.1 even as 110 infections of the COVID-19 sub-variant were recorded across the country, officials said, adding that the national capital has over 35 active cases with nine fresh infections being reported today.
They said that a 28-year-old man, who had comorbidities, died, after contracting COVID but the contagious virus was not the primary reason for his demise.
“The man was not from Delhi and was referred to a private hospital recently. He had multiple comorbidities and the Covid finding was incidental. The sample of the man has been sent for genome sequencing and a report is awaited,” he added.
The official said multiple samples were sent for genome sequencing, and one of them tested positive for the JN.1 variant.
529 fresh cases across India
India recorded 529 fresh COVID-19 cases in a single day, while the country’s active infection count stood at 4,093, the health ministry said on Wednesday.
Three new fatalities — two from Karnataka and one from Gujarat — were reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry’s data updated at 8 am.
The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, but infections have again gone up after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.
Meanwhile, a total of 109 JN.1 COVID variant cases across the country have been reported as of Tuesday. Citing sources at the Union Health Ministry, ANI reported that 36 such cases were reported from Gujarat, 34 from Karnataka, 14 from Goa, 9 from Maharashtra, six from Kerala, four from Rajasthan, four from Tamil Nadu and two from Telangana.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, distinct from its parent lineage BA.2.86. However, the global health body emphasised that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence.
‘Don’t panic’, doctors say
Amid the uptick in JN.1 variant cases, countries top doctors have urged people not to panic but follow proper precautions to avoid infection.
“The new variants are so far mild; they are from the family of the Omicron virus. So, the cases are not too much to be worried about; there is no panic as such but yes, it is a sign that it has come back again. It may flourish because it is more infectious than the normal COVID virus so we have to start taking precautions,” Dr Bobby Bhalotra, Vice Chairman in the Department of Chest Medicine, Gangaram Hospital, told news agency ANI.
“Precaution and prevention are better than cures. Take precautions so that doesn’t spread for them,” Dr. Bhalotra said.
“There is an increase in cases of respiratory illness in OPD of 20-30 per cent due to weather changes, viral illness and an increase in pollution in the national capital,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)