Odisha on Alert as Two Cases of COVID-19 Sub-Variant JN.1 Surface

The discovery of two cases of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 in Odisha has put health officials on high alert, with one case reported in Sundargarh and the other in Bhubaneswar. The infected individuals are currently undergoing monitoring, with one patient having fully recovered, as confirmed by a senior health official on Thursday.

Director of Health Services, Bijay Kumar Mohapatra, outlined the proactive measures taken, stating, “We are sending all the positives for genome sequencing. Two cases of JN.1 have come up in genome sequencing, while the total number of cases is 28. We will test the asymptomatic as per the ICMR guidelines, and if they are found positive, they will be sent for genome sequencing.”

Mohapatra reassured the public, stating, “Out of the two cases of JN.1, one is under treatment and the other is totally free of symptoms. One patient also has a travel history in Kerala. There is nothing to worry about; new variants are a viral phenomenon and they will keep coming up.”

Simultaneously, India reported 760 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, with two additional deaths recorded—one each in Kerala and Karnataka. The total active caseload now stands at 4,423, showing a decrease of 17 since Wednesday morning, according to data provided by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The cumulative count of coronavirus cases in India since January 2020 has reached 4,50,15,896, with the death toll standing at 5,33,373—an increase of two deaths.

Health officials underscore the importance of vigilance, extensive testing, and genomic sequencing to track emerging variants as part of the ongoing efforts to manage the COVID-19 situation in the country.