India’s ongoing routine surveillance conducted by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has detected a case of the JN.1 subvariant of COVID-19 in Kerala, announced Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The INSACOG, a network of Genomic Laboratories overseeing COVID-19 from a genomic perspective, flagged this variant as part of the revised surveillance guidelines. Patients with Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) symptoms are tested for COVID-19, and positive cases are referred for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).
The case was identified in a RT-PCR positive sample from Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, dated 8th December 2023, after the sample initially tested positive on 18th November 2023. The patient experienced mild ILI symptoms and has since recovered from COVID-19.
JN.1 : India Increases Vigil and Testing for the Covid-19 Variant
Kerala has witnessed a rising trend in COVID-19 cases over recent weeks, attributed to increased testing of ILI cases. Fortunately, the majority of these cases exhibit mild symptoms and are recuperating at home without medical intervention.
Concurrently, as part of routine protocol, the Union Health Ministry has initiated a mock drill across all health facilities in states to evaluate their public health and hospital preparedness. Supervised by district collectors, this exercise commenced on December 13th and is expected to conclude by December 18th, 2023.
The Union Ministry of Health remains actively engaged with Kerala’s State Department of Health, maintaining stringent monitoring measures across various points of entry. This proactive approach aims to ensure swift responses and efficient management in light of the evolving Covid-19 situation.
