COVID-19: Kerala Reports 111 New Cases, One Death

Around 111 new cases in Kerala constitute the majority of the 127 reported nationwide, as per the Union Health Ministry's website.

The JN.1 subvariant was initially discovered in the United States in September 2023. ( Image Source :PTI )

Kerala reported one death due to novel coronavirus on Tuesday bringing the total number of people who died in the state ever since the outbreak of coronavirus to 72,053. On Monday, the state also recorded 111 new cases taking the total number of coronavirus cases in the state to 1,634. 

Around 111 new cases in Kerala constitute the majority of the 127 reported nationwide, as per the Union Health Ministry's website.

The count of individuals recovering, being discharged, or migrating on the same day of infection diagnosis reached 115, contributing to a cumulative total of 68,36,867 in this category to date, as indicated on the Health Ministry's website.

On Saturday, Coronavirus Subvariant JN.1, a descendant of BA.2.86 variant, was detected in parts of Kerala. On November 18, a 79-year-old woman turned positive in an RT-PCR test.

According to a report on ANI, INSACOG Chief NK Arora said, "This variant has been isolated and reported in November. This is a subvariant of BA 2.86. We have some cases of JN.1."

"India is keeping a vigil and that's the reason no hospitalisation or severe disease has been reported so far," he said. 

A traveler from India, specifically Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirapalli district, was previously identified with the JN.1 subvariant in Singapore after visiting on October 25. Despite this detection, there has been no observed increase in cases in Tiruchirapalli district or other areas in Tamil Nadu.

The JN.1 subvariant was initially discovered in the United States in September 2023.

Coronaviruses constitute a sizable virus family that can induce illness in both animals and humans. In humans, various coronaviruses are recognized for causing respiratory infections, ranging from mild conditions like the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recently identified coronavirus is responsible for the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19.