Covid-19 surge: India's active caseload at 2,669 as JN.1 cases spike

COVID screening in the city at the height of the pandemic. State health officials say current oxygen facilities are double of what they were when COVID-19 cases were highest in Maharashtra. File pic

India is witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases; nearly 358 fresh infections have been recorded in the past 24 hours, Union Health Ministry data showed. Reportedly, the surge in cases is due to the Covid sub-variant JN.1, which was first detected in Kerala.

With three deaths reported from Kerala in the past 24 hours, the toll rose to 5,33,327 while the number of people recovered increased to 4,44, 70, 576 and the national recovery rate was 98.81 per cent, the health ministry data showed, according to the report.

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It further stated that fresh infections were mainly reported from Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu.

Following the surge, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare chaired a high-level meeting on Wednesday. According to a report in ANI, Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya chaired the meeting wherein they reviewed the Covid-19 situation across India and the preparedness of the public health system for surveillance, containment and management of coronavirus given the spike in cases in select states.

During the meeting, the health minister said it was crucial to be alert and prepared against new and emerging strains of the Covid-19 virus. The ANI report quoted him saying, "It is important to be alert and prepared against new and emerging strains of the COVID-19 virus."

He urged all states to be alert, increase surveillance and ensure that adequate stock of medicines, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, ventilators and vaccines were available.

Reiterating the need for collaborative efforts between Union govt and states, he said, "Let us undertake mock drills once every three months at both the central and state levels and share best practices."

Mandaviya also urged states to spread awareness to manage the epidemic and directed officials to ensure the dissemination of factually correct information, stated the ANI report.

Media reports also cited NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr VK Paul saying there was no need to panic and that experts were closely monitoring the new variant and said the need of the hour is to ramp up the testing and strengthening surveillance systems. He also said that 91 to 92 per cent of the infected persons were being treated at home.

Meanwhile, the ANI report stated that amid the surge in respiratory diseases and the new JN.1 COVID sub-variant, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised the member states to continue strong surveillance and sequence sharing as the virus is evolving and changing.

With agency inputs