India reports 412 new COVID-19 cases; Kerala top contributor
India registered 412 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of active cases to 4,170, the Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry said on Tuesday. With three more deaths in Karnataka, the nationwide death toll has reached 5,33,337. The overall case count in the country is now at 4,50,09,660, while the national recovery rate stands at 98.81% and the fatality rate at 1.19%. Meanwhile, concerns are growing over the JN.1 COVID-19 subvariant, with 69 such cases reported so far.
Why does this story matter?
Coronavirus cases have seen a dramatic rise over the past few weeks in India. With COVID-19 cases rising, especially with JN.1 infections, the Centre earlier issued an advisory to states and union territories to ensure strict measures to prevent transmission. Though India has administered 220,67,79,081 doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far, the deaths on Monday alerted the central and state governments. As New Year's Day approaches, the Delhi government advised people to wear masks and avoid gatherings in large numbers.
Goa reports largest single-day spike in JN.1 subvariant cases
Amid the holiday season, Goa reportedly experienced the largest JN.1 case surge—34 cases in one day. This was followed by nine in Maharashtra, eight in Karnataka, six in Kerala, four in Tamil Nadu, and two in Telangana. According to the health ministry, the majority of JN.1 subvariant cases exhibit mild symptoms and often do not show significant clustering in areas. Speaking on it, ex-AIIMS Delhi director Dr. Randeep Guleria said that this variant is more transmissible and is spreading rapidly.
Kerala emerges as biggest contributor to active cases
Kerala currently has the highest number of active COVID-19 cases in India, with 3,096 cases. However, in a sign of relief, the South Indian state did not report any fresh cases on Monday. Other states with high case numbers include Karnataka with 436 cases, Maharashtra with 168 cases, and Tamil Nadu with 139. Notably, the Karnataka cabinet sub-committee on coronavirus will reportedly meet later on Tuesday amid the rising JN.1 subvariant cases.
WHO issues fresh warning amid COVID-19 rise
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged countries in Southeast Asia to strengthen surveillance given the increasing cases of respiratory diseases, including due to coronavirus. "The COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, change, and circulate in all countries globally," the United Nations (UN) agency said. "While current evidence suggests the additional public health risk posed by JN.1 is low, we must continue to track the evolution of these viruses to tailor our response," it said.
What do we know about JN.1
The JN.1 is a descendant of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.86. The WHO recognizes it as a "notable descendant lineage" of Omicron, signifying its higher transmissibility and immune evasion capabilities. The variant has recently been spreading in nations like the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), Spain, Iceland, and Portugal, among others. So far, it has been detected in over 40 countries, including India, and is believed to be responsible for the recent spike in hospitalizations in some nations.
