<h5>Where was the new COVID-19 variant found?</h5><p>On December 8, the first case of the new <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.newsahoot.com/articles/the-basics-of-covid19">COVID-19</a> (coronavirus) variant JN.1 was reported in Kerala. Since then, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the state. This variant has been previously reported in several countries, like USA and China.</p><p>Kerala’s health minister, Ms. Veena George, claims that the variant is not a cause for concern and already exists in other parts of the country. She adds that JN.1 was detected among a few Indians screened at the Singapore airport a few months back.</p><h5>What is the current status of COVID-19 in the country?</h5><p>At the time of writing this article, India had a total of 1296 active cases of coronavirus. Kerala alone reported 111 new cases. Seven deaths have occurred due to the virus across Kerala, UP, and Karnataka.</p><p>According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.cowin.gov.in/">CoWIN</a> website, the Health Ministry has administered nearly 220 crore doses of vaccines to the people of the country. Rajiv Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian National Medical Association Covid Task Force, says the variant spreads quickly and can infect even those who had previous COVID infections or received vaccination.</p><p>However, despite its high transmissibility, symptoms of JN.1 are mild and have not led to any significant increase in hospitalisation. Furthermore, vaccines and supportive treatments will reduce the chances of suffering from severe illness.</p><h5>What steps are being taken to handle the rising cases?</h5><p>The Health Ministry has asked all States to monitor and report all cases of Influenza-like Illnesses (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in all health facilities. They have also been asked to ensure sufficient quantities of RT-PCR and antigen tests to carry out COVID tests in all districts.</p><p>Karnataka’s health minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, has requested that senior citizens and those with comorbidities wear masks. One must also follow preventative measures, such as social distancing, hand washing, etc. If you or anyone you know hasn’t gotten vaccinated, now is the time to get your dose.</p>

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