 "162 JN.1 sub-variant cases reported across 9 states, Kerala leads with 83")
As many as 162 cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in India, with Kerala reporting the highest 83 infections, followed by Gujarat (34), according to Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) data updated on Friday.
Over the last few weeks, several states have been reporting a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. Nine states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. The states are Kerala, with 83 cases, followed by Gujarat (34), Goa (18) in Goa, Karnataka (8), Maharashtra (7), Rajasthan (5), Tamil Nadu (4), Telangana (2) and Delhi (1).
Meanwhile, India on Friday reported 797 fresh Covid-19 cases, the highest in a single day since May 2023. The number of active cases in the country stood at 4,091, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Five deaths have also been reported across four states in the last 24 hours.
Kerala is seeing a drop in active cases, with the number of discharges being more than fresh infections reported in the last 24 hours. The state reported 379 fresh cases and 652 discharges on Friday, taking the state’s active case tally to 2,522. The state currently accounts for 61 per cent of all active Covid-19 cases in India. Karnataka reported 158 new cases, taking the state's active caseload to 568.
A total of 38 deaths have been reported across eight states and two union territories since December 18. In Kerala, 19 deaths have been reported, followed by Karnataka (9), Maharashtra (3) and Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, West Bengal, Delhi and Puducherry reporting one death each. Eleven states and Union Territories have reported zero Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly increasing spread but said it poses a "low" global public health risk.