Thane logs five cases of COVID-19 JN.1 variant

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Thane city has reported five cases of COVID-19 JN.1 variant out of 20 samples tested since November 30, an official said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI.

The number of active COVID-19 cases in the city is 28. While two of them are being treated at hospitals, the rest are recovering at their homes, he said, reported PTI.

"A total of 20 samples were sent for COVID-19 testing since November 30 this year and five of them returned positive for the JN.1 variant," the civic official said, reported PTI.

The patients infected with the JN.1 variant include a woman. None of them are hospitalised, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Thane Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar and his Navi Mumbai counterpart Rajesh Narvekar held meetings with senior officials and reviewed preparedness, reported PTI.

They also gave specific directions to officials, reported PTI.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Sunday reported 50 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total number of infections since the beginning of the spread of novel coronavirus to 81,72,135 nearly three years ago, said a daily bulletin by the health department, reported PTI.

Of the fresh cases, nine were caused by JN.1, increasing the number of infections tied to the new sub-variant to 10, it said, reported PTI.

The JN.1 patients include five from Thane city, two from Pune city, and one each from a rural pocket of Pune district, Akola city and Sindhudurg district. One patient from Pune had travelled to the US, the bulletin said, reported PTI.

All the JN.1 patients have recovered, it said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the new strain as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly increasing spread but said that it poses a "low" global public health risk.

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 mild illness, officials had said earlier, reported PTI.

Those suffering from cold, cough, or fever should maintain distance from other people and use masks and wash their hands with soap or use sanitiser, according to doctors.

Maharashtra has so far tested 8,75,65,093 samples for COVID-19, of which 81,72,135 were found to be positive. As many as 80,23,418 patients have been discharged so far, the bulletin added, reported PTI.

According to the Union health ministry's updated data on Sunday, the country saw a single-day rise of 656 COVID-19 infections while the active cases have increased to 3,742, reported PTI.

In May, following a sustained decline in the trajectory of coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths, and high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV2, the WHO had declared that COVID-19 no longer constituted a public health emergency of international concern, reported PTI.

(With inputs from PTI)