COVID JN.1 Scare: Uttarakhand on ALERT, fresh advisory issued | DEETS HERE

New Delhi: Amid growing concerns over Covid sub-variant JN.1, the Uttarakhand government has sounded an alert and instructed all the District Magistrates (DMs) and Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) to follow the guidelines issued for the prevention of the disease in hospitals. For the unversed, concerns have arisen as a new subvariant of COVID-19, known as JN.1, was identified in Kerala earlier this month, coinciding with a slight increase in cases in the state as the holiday season approaches. Issuing an advisory, Health Secretary Dr R. Rajesh Kumar has asked authorities to keep an eye on respiratory, lung and heart patients.  Read the detailed advisory below. 

This comes a day after the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued an advisory, urging states to implement necessary arrangements and public health measures to minimize the spread of infection. Health authorities are actively monitoring the situation and have advised individuals, particularly those with comorbidities, to exercise caution.

In a letter to states and Union Territories, Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant sent underlined control and management strategies. Pant asserted that “due to consistent and collaborative actions between Centre and state governments, we have been able to sustain the trajectory at sustainable low rates”. 

Health ministry data showed India recorded 260 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases have increased to 1,828. A majority of the cases have been reported in the states of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Odisha. As a precautionary measure, Karnataka asked people aged above 60 years, those with co-morbidities and symptoms of cough, phlegm and fever to wear face masks.

Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told the media that officials were instructed to increase tests of those with symptoms and suspected cases, and carry out heightened surveillance in border districts. “There is no need for anyone to worry. We held a meeting the day before yesterday. Our technical advisory committee headed by Dr (K) Ravi met yesterday and there was discussion between our officials and experts on the measures to be taken,” Rao said.