INSACOG Records 923 Cases of Covid Sub-variant JN.1 Across 15 States
The COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 has now spread to 15 states and Union territories across India, with data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) recording a total of 923 JN.1 cases detected in the country so far.
Karnataka has reported the highest number of JN.1 infections at 214 cases, followed by Maharashtra with 170 cases, Kerala at 154 cases, Andhra Pradesh at 105 cases, Gujarat at 76 cases, and Goa at 66 cases.
Other states like Telangana and Rajasthan have seen 32 JN.1 cases each, Chhattisgarh has reported 25 cases, Tamil Nadu 22 cases, Delhi 16 cases, Haryana 5 cases, Odisha 3 cases, West Bengal 2 cases, and Uttarakhand 1 case, as per the INSACOG data.
Even though the number of JN.1 cases is steadily rising across multiple states and the sub-variant has clearly gained a foothold in the country, health officials say there is no immediate cause for major concern yet. This is because the majority of those infected with JN.1 so far have experienced relatively mild illness and have been successfully isolating and recovering at home.
However, the Centre has still asked all states and Union territories to maintain constant vigilance and surveillance amid the recent uptick in overall COVID-19 cases nationwide as well as the spread of the JN.1 sub-variant.
In particular, states have been urged to ensure effective compliance with the detailed operational guidelines for the revised COVID-19 surveillance strategy that was shared with them by the Union Health Ministry.
Authorities have also advised states to regularly monitor and closely track the number of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) cases being reported from all health facilities in each district. This is critical to allow for early detection of any rising trend of infections.
While the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" due to its rapidly increasing transmission, it has assessed that JN.1 poses a "low" risk to global public health at the current time.
Prior to being classified as a distinct variant of interest, JN.1 was categorized under the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, which itself is the parent lineage that the WHO has designated an overall variant of interest.