Ministry of Health on Alert Following JN.1 Subvariant Detection in Kerala

Ministry of Health on Alert Following JN.1 Subvariant Detection in Kerala

VoM News Desk | December 17, 2023 | 12:14 AM IST | Health, Kerala | Follow on Google News

Ministry of Health on Alert Following JN.1 Subvariant Detection in Kerala

Ministry of Health on Alert Following JN.1 Subvariant Detection in Kerala

The Union Ministry of Health has initiated proactive measures in response to the identification of the JN.1 subvariant of COVID in Kerala through routine surveillance by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), confirmed this development during a New Delhi press briefing.

Conducting a mock drill in health facilities across states, the ministry assesses public health readiness, overseen by district collectors. Scheduled from December 13 to December 18, 2023, this exercise aims to evaluate hospital preparedness.

Maintaining close communication with Kerala’s State Department of Health, the Ministry closely monitors various entry points. Despite the majority of cases in Kerala being clinically mild, health authorities emphasize ongoing vigilance and preparedness to effectively manage the evolving COVID-19 situation.

The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a network of Genomic Laboratories, actively monitors COVID-19’s genomic aspects in the country. Detection of the JN.1 subvariant aligns with revised surveillance guidelines, testing patients with Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) for COVID-19 and referring positive cases for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).

JN.1 was identified in an RT-PCR positive sample from Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 8, 2023. The patient, initially testing positive on November 18, 2023, experienced mild ILI symptoms and has since recovered from COVID-19.

Dr. Ujjwal Prakash, a senior consultant in Chest Medicine at Delhi’s Ganga Ram Hospital, highlighted the emergence of this variant, emphasizing the importance of vigilance over panic. Describing JN.1 as a mild variant causing upper respiratory symptoms, including fever, runny nose, sore throat, headache, and occasional mild gastrointestinal symptoms, he assured that these symptoms usually improve within four to five days.

JN.1 was first detected in the United States in September 2023.

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