Page 3 - Coronavirus Tests

Covid-19 JN.1: UP joins list of 16 states, UTs; total cases cross 1,000

The number of cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 has crossed 1,000 mark with Uttar Pradesh becoming the latest state to join the list of 16 states and UTs which have detected its presence, according to INSACOG. The data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed Karnataka has reported the highest number of cases at 214, followed by Maharashtra (170), Kerala (154), Andhra Pradesh (189), Gujarat (76) and Goa (66). Telangana and Rajasthan have recorded 32 JN.1 cases each, Chhattisgarh has recorded 25, Tamil Nadu 22, Delhi 16, Uttar Pradesh 6, Haryana five, Odisha three, West Bengal two and Uttarakhand one, according to the data. A total of 1,013 cases of JN.1 have been detected till now across the 16 states and UTs. The Centre has asked the states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country. The states have been urged to ensure effective compliance o

Three fresh Covid deaths across country, 609 new cases recorded: Govt

India has recorded 609 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection has declined to 3,368, the health ministry said on Friday. Three deaths -- two in Kerala and one in Karnataka -- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases began to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past with the peak inci

923 cases of Covid sub-variant JN.1 reported from 15 states: INSACOG

COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 has spread to 15 states and Union territories with a total of 923 cases of the infection reported so far, according to the INSACOG. Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed Karnataka has reported the highest number of cases at 214, followed by Maharashtra (170), Kerala (154), Andhra Pradesh (105), Gujarat (76) and Goa (66). Telangana and Rajasthan have recorded 32 JN.1 cases each, Chhattisgarh has recorded 25, Tamil Nadu 22, Delhi 16, Haryana five, Odisha three, West Bengal two and Uttarakhand one. Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating a mild illness, officials said. The Centre has asked the states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the .

India records 514 new cases of Covid-19, active cases decline to 3,422

India recorded 514 new cases of COVID-19, while the number of active cases of the infection has declined to 3,422, the health ministry said on Thursday. Three deaths two in Maharashtra and one in Karnataka have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023, but cases began to increase after the emergence of a new sub-variant -- JN.1 -- and cold weather conditions. After December 5, a maximum of a single-day rise of 841 new cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which is 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, around 92 per cent are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 sub-variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the official source stated. India has witnessed three waves of

Plant-based diets linked with lower Covid incidence, finds research

People following a largely plant-based or vegetarian diet are 39 per cent less likely to get infected with Covid, new research has found. Researchers found that omnivores consuming meat more than three times a week reported a "significantly higher" incidence of COVID-19 than those dependent on plant-based or vegetarian diets. They were also more likely to have had moderate to severe infection, the study published in the "British Medical Journal Nutrition Prevention & Health" has found. The researchers, including those from the Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil, said it may be that plant-based diets provide more nutrients that boost the immune system and help fight viral infections The findings suggest that a diet high in vegetables, legumes and nuts, and low in dairy and meat products may thus help ward off the infection, they said. However, being an observational study, the team could not establish a causal relationship. They also acknowledged that, having relied on personal ...

India logs 475 fresh Covid-19 cases; number of active cases at 3,919

India has logged 475 new cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 3,919, the health ministry said on Tuesday. Six deaths -- three from Karnataka, two from Chhattisgarh and one from Assam -- have been reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases began to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. After December 5, 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality," the sources stated. India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the past

Nineteen new cases of JN.1 subvariant of Covid-19 detected in Mumbai

Nineteen persons have tested positive for JN.1 sub-variant of coronavirus in Mumbai, an official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said on Tuesday. Out of 22 samples found positive for JN.1 subvariant in Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) analysis, 19 were from Mumbai, Daksha Shah, executive health officer of the BMC told PTI. Two samples belonged to patients from outside the city, and one was a duplicate, she said. According to a release issued by the civic body, these samples were sent for testing last month, and the reports arrived on Monday. All 19 patients who tested positive for JN.1 in the city suffered mild symptoms, and two of them had comorbidities. The patients have recovered from the infection, it stated. Most of the samples were tested at private laboratories, the release said. Of the 8,262 samples tested between December 1, 2023 and January 8, 2024, only 394 tested positive for coronavirus, it stated.

682 cases of Covid sub-variant JN.1 reported from 12 states till Jan 7

The number of cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 reported from 12 states till January 7 rose to 682, official sources said on Monday. They said 199 cases have been reported from Karnataka, 148 from Kerala, 139 from Maharashtra, 47 from Goa, 36 from Gujarat, 30 from Andhra Pradesh, 30 from Rajasthan, 26 from Tamil Nadu, 21 from Delhi, three from Odisha, two from Telangana and one from Haryana. Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness, officials said. The Centre has asked the states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country. States have been urged to ensure effective compliance with the detailed operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared by the Union .

Maharashtra reports 154 Covid-19 cases, two deaths; JN.1 tally now 139

Maharashtra on Saturday recorded 154 COVID-19 cases and two deaths, which took place in Mumbai and Nagpur, a health official said. The number of cases of the JN.1 variant reached 139 in the state, he added. Mumbai reported 21 COVID-19 cases, the official said. A health department bulletin said 14,790 coronavirus tests were conducted during the day, comprising 12,369 Rapid Antigen Tests and 2,421 through the RT-PCR method. The recovery rate in the state is 98.17 per cent, while the fatality rate stands at 1.81 per cent, as per the bulletin. The positivity rate, or number of cases per 100 tests, is 1.04 per cent.

India records single-day rise of 774 Covid-19 cases, active cases at 4,187

India has recorded a single-day rise of 774 COVID-19 cases while the number of active cases stands at 4,187, the Union health ministry said on Saturday. Two deaths -- one each from Tamil Nadu and Gujarat -- were reported in a span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5 but it began to rise again amid cold weather conditions and after the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant, JN.1 After December 5, the highest single-day rise of 841 cases was reported on December 31, 2023, which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said. Of the 4,187 active cases, the majority (over 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation. An official source said, "The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in the hospitalisation and mortality." India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 in the pa

Covid-19 peaks in Singapore but doctors watching out for possible surges

Doctors in Singapore believe the latest COVID-19 wave has peaked in the country, even as some clinics still face higher than usual patient loads, and doctors are watching out for possible surges in the coming months. The doctors are seeing cases stabilise, down by around 20 per cent from December, according to a Channel News Asia report on Friday. However, clinics are already planning for more man power and medication supplies in anticipation of another surge in the months ahead. Healthway Medical, for instance, now sees an average of 50 to 60 patients come in daily with respiratory infections across its 57 clinics, the report said. COVID-19 and influenza cases make up the bulk of them. This is around 10 per cent higher than regular patient loads but a slight drop from the peak around Christmas. The peak of all the upper respiratory tract infection cases has plateaued. Majority of people have already returned from travelling, CNA quoted head of primary care at Healthway Medical Gr

Covid sub-variant JN.1: 619 cases reported from 12 states till Jan 4

The number of cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 reported from 12 states till January 4 rose to 619, official sources said on Friday. They said 199 cases have been reported from Karnataka, 148 from Kerala, 110 from Maharashtra, 47 from Goa, 36 from Gujarat, 30 from Andhra Pradesh, 26 from Tamil Nadu, 15 from Delhi, 4 from Rajasthan 2 from Telangana and one each from Odisha and Haryana. Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness, officials said. The Centre has already asked states and Union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country. States have been told to ensure effective compliance of the detailed operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared by the Union Ministr

New AI model could be used to predict Covid-variant waves, finds research

An artificial intelligence (AI) model can predict which variants of the Covid-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus will likely bring about fresh waves of the infection, a new research has found. The model can detect around 73 per cent of the variants in each country that will cause at least 1,000 cases per 10 lakh people in the three months, following an observation period of one week, and over 80 per cent after two weeks, researchers said. The team from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US, and The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Israel, analysed 9 SARS-CoV-2 million genetic sequences across 30 countries, collected by the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID). This was combined with data on vaccination rates, infection rates, and other factors. The initiative "promotes the rapid sharing of data from priority pathogens including influenza, hCoV-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), hMpxV as well as arboviruses including chikungunya, dengue and zika," ...

Ajit Pawar calls for public cooperation to tackle Covid-19 cases in Maha

"Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and we all are taking stock of the situation", Pawar further said

Amid JN.1 concern, India records 761 new Covid-19 cases, 12 deaths

India has recorded 761 fresh cases of Covid-19, while the number of active cases stands at 4,334, Union health ministry data showed on Friday

Maha reports 171 Covid-19 cases, two deaths; JN.1 variant tally now 110

Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 171 COVID-19 cases and two deaths, a health department official said. The deaths took place in Solapur and Kolhapur, while Mumbai reported 32 cases, followed by 16 each in Thane city and Navi Mumbai, the health department's bulletin informed. There are 914 active cases in the state, while the tally of those caused by the JN.1 variant stands at 110, it said. Maharashtra's recovery rate is 98.17 per cent.

Two cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 detected in Odisha's Bhubaneswar

The two cases were detected in Sundargarh and Bhubaneswar, Director of Health Services Bijay Kumar Mohapatra said, adding that the health conditions of both patients are stable

Wearing masks mandatory at some US hospitals as Covid-19, flu cases rise

More than 1.1 million Americans have died from Covid-19, CDC figures show, a greater rate than most other wealthy countries

India reports 115 new JN.1 cases, marking highest single-day detection

These cases have been found across ten states and union territories, with Kerala reporting the maximum cases at 147. Goa (51 cases) and Gujarat (34 cases) followed Kerala

312 Covid sub-variant JN.1 cases detected in country, around 47% in Kerala

A total of 312 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in the country so far, with about 47 per cent of them recorded in Kerala, according to the INSACOG's data updated on Tuesday. Ten states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (147), Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Maharashtra (26), Tamil Nadu (22), Delhi (16), Karnataka (eight), Rajasthan (five), Telangana (two) and Odisha (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG). The INSACOG's data showed 279 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 33 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (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. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 ...