COVID variant scare in Kerala: High-level meeting to be held to assess situation; cautions people
A high-level meeting may be held under the leadership of the Health Minister in Kerala today to assess the situation of the new COVID variant cases in the state. JN1 is a sub-variant of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
FollowThiruvananthapuram: As the new variant of COVID is spreading fast in India, a high-level meeting may be held under the leadership of the Health Minister in Kerala today to assess the situation in the state. The matters, including COVID tests, will be discussed in the meeting. The health department informed that there is no need to worry, even though the number of cases is increasing.
The health department explained that the number of COVID cases is due to more testing than in other states and warned that precautionary measures should be tightened in the case of the report of the JN.1 variant.
Covid-19 variant 'JN.1': Symptoms, causes and instructions
JN1 is a sub-variant of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, first identified in the United States in September. Recently, seven cases were confirmed in China, bringing the total number of affected countries to 38, with India joining the list after a case was reported in Kerala.
In some nations, the JN1 variant is linked to increased hospitalizations due to symptoms. Consequently, authorities in places like Singapore have tightened travel restrictions. Discussions about the necessity of booster doses are ongoing in various regions.
Experts suggest that JN1 spreads rapidly and can overcome immunity more effectively than existing variants, such as XBB in India. This variant can affect both those who have recovered from COVID-19 and those who have been vaccinated. Symptoms, including fever, cold, and headache, are similar to other variants and tend to intensify within four to five days.
