As of the latest update, the country has identified a total of 196 cases of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1. The data from INSACOG, updated on Monday, indicates that Odisha has now joined the roster of states detecting the presence of this variant.
The JN.1 sub-variant has been identified in ten states and Union territories, namely Kerala (83 cases), Goa (51 cases), Gujarat (34 cases), Karnataka (eight cases), Maharashtra (seven cases), Rajasthan (five cases), Tamil Nadu (four cases), Telangana (two cases), Odisha (one case), and Delhi (one case), according to information provided by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).
Examining the data from INSACOG, it is evident that 179 COVID-19 cases in December exhibited the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant, while 17 such cases were detected in November.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated JN.1 as a distinct "variant of interest," acknowledging its rapid spread but categorizing it as posing a "low" global public health risk.
Initially considered a variant of interest within the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, which is the parent lineage classified as a variant of interest, the JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus has seen a surge in global prevalence in recent weeks.
Given the rising number of COVID-19 cases and the identification of the JN.1 sub-variant within the country, the central authorities have urged states and Union territories to remain vigilant. In the most recent update from the Health Ministry on Monday, India reported 636 new coronavirus infections, with the active cases totaling 4,394.
