Though the recovery rates for the new variant remains high, epidemiologists advocate caution
Younger individuals should exercise caution, especially if they have at-risk family members at home. Representation pic
Key Highlights
- The COVID-19 variant JN.1 has been declared a ‘variant of interest’ by WHO
- This variant caused a rapid surge in Singapore earlier this month
- This development prompted the Union health ministry to issue directives to states
The COVID-19 variant JN.1 has been declared a ‘variant of interest’ by the World Health Organization. This variant caused a rapid surge in Singapore earlier this month and has since been detected in multiple states in India, including one in Maharashtra. This development prompted the Union health ministry to issue directives to states, urging them to intensify testing and assess available infrastructure.
Furthermore, health officials are closely monitoring individuals exhibiting influenza-like and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) symptoms. Ahead of festivities, mid-day interviewed Dr Pradeep Awate, Maharashtra's former disease surveillance officer and epidemiologist, who was in office during the peak of the pandemic. The purpose was to gain insights into this variant and assess the level of concern people should have.