 "Kerala reports 4 Covid deaths as cases spike, MoHFW conducts mock drill")
The number of active coronavirus cases in Kerala climbed to around 1,144 on Sunday, a day after the reported four suspected Covid deaths and the detection of t JN.1 sub-variant.
Though Veena George, Kerala’s health minister, confirmed that JN.1 sub-variant of Covid-19 had been detected in the state, she maintained that “there is nothing to worry about.” She noted the variant was detected among Indians at Singapore airport two or three months ago and it already exists in other parts of the country.
About the latest Covid-related fatalities in Kerala, Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the National Indian Medical Association’s Covid taskforce, said: “A few deaths have been reported as expected, but most cases are not requiring hospitalisation. Severe disease is limited largely to older individuals and those with comorbidities.”
The ongoing surveillance by INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium) has picked up a case of JN.1 sub-variant of Covid-19 in Kerala, Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research stated on Saturday. This variant is currently spreading in the US and China.
The case was detected in an RT-PCR positive sample from Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 8. The patient, who had mild symptoms of an influenza-like illness (ILI), has since recovered from Covid-19.
Covid-19 cases have been increasing in Kerala in recent weeks, attributed to an increase in the number of samples from ILI cases being referred for testing. Most of these cases are clinically mild and patients are recovering at home without treatment.
The INSACOG is a network of laboratories that has been monitoring Covid-19 in India from a genomic perspective; the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is part of this consortium. According to the revised surveillance guidelines in the context of Covid-19, patients of ILI and SARI (severe acute respiratory infection) are tested for Covid-19 and positive cases are referred for whole genome sequencing (WGS).
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The Union health ministry is currently conducting a mock drill at all health facilities in states to assess their public health and hospital preparedness measures. This activity, which began on December 13, is being carried out under the supervision of district collectors and is expected to be completed by December 18. The Union health ministry is in regular contact with the department of health in Kerala, and is monitoring various points of entry.
Meanwhile, Karnataka's health minister, Dinesh Gundu Rao, has reportedly instructed state officials to conduct mock drills at all government hospitals to ensure adequate supplies of oxygen cylinders, consumables, and medicines.
According to health experts, Kerala was seeing an average of around 20 cases per day in September and October. As the number of cases began to rise, the health department issued fresh guidelines and instructed an increase in the number of tests. Those with fever and symptoms of Covid-19 were also instructed to be tested. Kerala currently has the highest test rate in India, conducting 700-1000 tests per day.
"Being a cyclical disease, periodic surges are expected of Covid-19," said Jayadevan. He noted that the current rise in cases worldwide is driven by the new JN.1 variant, which is markedly different from all previously prevalent variants. This variant, which has an unprecedented 31 additional mutations on its spike protein and others on the body of the virus, has shown the ability to infect people who have been vaccinated, including those who have received the updated XBB.1.5 booster dose, and those who have natural immunity from prior infection, he said, adding that it is rapidly displacing the previously circulating sub-lineage called XBB across the world.
The sub-variant JN.1 is closely related to the Pirola variant – BA.2.86 of Covid-19. The Pirola variant was a “variant of interest” earlier this year because more than 39 countries had reported cases of this variant. “Pirola made up 8.8 per cent of cases as of November 25, almost three times the number of cases the variant made up during the previous two-week period ending on November 11, when Pirola wasn’t even one of the top five most prevalent variants, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Forbes reported at the end of November on US cases.
Meanwhile, Health.com reported, quoting data from the CDC, that Covid-19 levels are rising in the US. “Recent data shows a 17.6 per cent rise in Covid-related hospital admissions, as well as a 25 per cent rise in COVID deaths... Last Friday, the CDC published an update on the JN.1 Omicron subvariant. The strain now makes up between 15 per cent and 29 per cent of current Covid cases. In late October, JN.1 made up less than 0.1 per cent of cases. According to the CDC, this rise indicates that JN.1 may be more transmissible than other strains,” the website said.