The Karnataka government on Monday asked people above the age of 60, and those with comorbidities to wear masks amid a spike in Covid-19 cases in the state and the detection of a case of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 in neighbouring Kerala.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said in a media interaction that officials have been asked to increase testing among those reporting symptoms of Covid-19 and heightened surveillance in border districts to contain the spread of infections.
Rao said that officials are monitoring the situation, and restrictions on movement and gathering of people are not needed as of now. He added that the government would come out with an advisory soon.
"There is no need for anyone to worry. We had held a meeting day-before-yesterday and our technical advisory committee headed by Dr (K) Ravi had met yesterday and there was a discussion between our officials and experts regarding the measures to be taken," Rao said.
"Those above 60-years of age and those with comorbidities like issues related to heart, kidney among others, and those with cough, phlegm and fever should mandatorily wear masks. We are communicating this to the public. Also, we have asked our hospitals and health centres to be prepared. There should be more surveillance in border districts like -- Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada, and Chamarajanagara -- which share a border with Kerala," he added.
The minister also said that there are no curbs or restrictions on the movement of people and gatherings when asked if there will be any restrictions on Ayyappa pilgrims returning from Kerala. "We will not stop any such thing now, because such a situation -- where people should not move or gather -- is not there," he said.
More From This Section
The minister said, "For those above 60 years of age, those with comorbidities and respiratory issues, wearing masks is good. We will make it mandatory. The advisory will be issued by the government today."
On Sunday, Rao said that sufficient measures have been taken to ensure the availability of intensive care unit (ICU) beds and essential drugs. "We have done a mock drill. We have asked them to keep everything ready to prevent any shortages," the minister said.
Authorities in Karnataka have been on a state of vigil as reports suggested that the number of active coronavirus cases in Kerala rose to around 1,144 on Sunday. Karnataka saw 58 active Covid-19 cases on Sunday, with 11 hospitalisations and one Covid-19-related death.
What is the JN.1 subvariant?
JN.1 evolved from the BA.2.86 Covid-19 variant, commonly known as 'Pirola' – which came from Omicron. Scientists said that the BA.2.86 variant underwent a 'flip mutation' and descended into the JN.1, which now can bind to human cells even stronger than prior Omicron variants