25 December,2023 09:15 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational Pic/File
Maharashtra on Monday reported 28 fresh Covid-19 cases, taking the number of active cases in the state to 153, as per a state health department bulletin, reported the PTI.
Maharashtra has so far reported nine cases of JN.1 sub-variant.
The bulletin said that no such case was reported on Monday, as per the PTI.
With the latest additions, the overall Covid-19 tally since the beginning of the pandemic has risen to 81,72,163 in Maharashtra, as per the state health department.
"There are 153 active cases of Covid-19 infection in the state. Of them, 142 patients are in home isolation while 11 others are admitted to various hospitals. Of these 11 patients, two are in ICUs while others are kept under observation but not in the ICU," the bulletin said.
Maharashtra has so far tested 8,75,66,255 samples for Covid-19 over the last three years, of which 81,72,163 returned positive.
With a discharge of 13 persons, the total number of Covid-19 recoveries rose to 80,23,431, as per the bulletin.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries in South-East Asia to strengthen surveillance in view of the increasing cases of respiratory diseases, including due to Covid-19 and its new sub-variant JN.1, and influenza.
The WHO also urged people to take protective measures.
Experts had said there was no cause for concern even though JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country and there is an uptick in Covid-19 infections.
The Covid-19 figures in Maharashtra are as follows: Fresh cases 28, total cases 81,72,163, samples tested so far 8,75,66,255, JN.9 variant cases 9, recoveries 80,23,431.
Meanwhile, Sixty-three cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 were reported in the country till Sunday, including 34 detected in Goa, official sources said on Monday.
Nine cases have been detected from Maharashtra, eight from Karnataka, six from Kerala, four from Tamil Nadu and two from Telangana, they added.
NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said last week that the scientific community in India is closely investigating the new Covid sub-variant and stressed the need for states to ramp up testing and strengthen their surveillance systems.
Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as 92 per cent of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating a mild illness, officials had said.
(with PTI inputs)