As of January 7, the reported cases of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have reached 682 across 12 states in India, according to official sources on Monday. Among the states, Karnataka has reported 199 cases, Kerala 148, Maharashtra 139, Goa 47, Gujarat 36, Andhra Pradesh 30, Rajasthan 30, Tamil Nadu 26, Delhi 21, Odisha 3, Telangana 2, and Haryana 1. Despite the rising number of cases, authorities have emphasized that there is no immediate cause for concern, as a majority of those infected are choosing home-based treatment, suggesting mild illness.
In response to the situation, the Centre has advised states and Union territories to maintain heightened vigilance, considering the increase in COVID-19 cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant. States have been urged to ensure strict adherence to operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategies, monitoring and reporting district-wise cases of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness in health facilities to detect trends early. While the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a “variant of interest” due to its rapidly increasing spread, it has categorized it as posing a “low” global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant was initially part of the BA.2 lineage, a variant of interest with 86 sub-lineages.
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