Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Sunday said there is no need for panic following the detection of the new COVID-19 variant JN.1 in the state.
The minister said the new strain was detected because of the constant surveillance system that has been put in place in the state. A 79-year-old woman from Karakulam in the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram tested positive for the new strain on December 8 following an RT-PCR test. The patient had mild symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) and has now recovered fully.
There has been a spurt in Covid cases in Kerala during the past few weeks with the state reporting 1523 cases on Sunday. Four Covid deaths were also reported in the state this month. A large number of cases of influenza-like illnesses are being referred for testing in the state and the spurt in Covid incidence is attributed to the high testing rate.
A majority of ILI patients have mild symptoms and they are recovering at home without any hospital-based treatment.
With the JN.1 variant being seen as the major reason behind the surge in influenza-like illnesses across the world, health authorities have sounded an alert in the state. The JN.1 strain, according to health experts, is considered more infectious than the previous variants.
The symptoms include fever, cold, sore throat, headache, and minor digestive problems. Most of the patients are reported to be experiencing mild respiratory symptoms as well. They usually recover fully within four to five days.
Experts have advised people with symptoms of a viral infection to wear masks to reduce the risk of spreading the infection and get tested early.
