NEW DELHI: India recorded 743 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, the largest single-day accumulation in 225 days, the Union Health Ministry said. Seven new deaths: 3 in Kerala, two in Karnataka, one in Chhattisgarh and one in Tamil. Nadu – were reported in the country in the last 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.
The number of daily cases was in double digits as of Dec. 5 but has begun to rise again amid cold weather and after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant JN. 1, which is causing a resurgence in many countries, the United States added. United States, China and Singapore.
India has noticed a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks.
Officials said as many as 145 COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country since December 28. JN.1 variant, which is classified as a ‘variant of interest’ by the World Health Organisation (WHO), has been identified as the most prevalent strain in the US, accounting for over 44 per cent of cases there.
In India, 178 cases of the JN. 1 subvariant have been reported in nine states as of Friday. Goa reported the number of cases with 47.
It is followed by Kerala with 41. Other states where cases of JN. 1 have been detected include Gujarat (36), Karnataka (34) and Maharashtra (nine). Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu reported 4 cases each, while two cases were recorded in Telangana. and one in Delhi.
Experts said that JN.1 is highly transmissible, but so far most cases in India have been mild with symptoms similar to a common cold.
They also warned other people with comorbidities and seniors to crowd out venues and wear masks.
Prof G C Khilnani, Chairman of PSRI Institute of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, and former professor and head of the pulmonary medicine and sleep disorders at AIIMS, said it is always better if people wear a mask. He added that the new strain has the potential to evade pre-existing immunity as it is highly transmissible.
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