Covid Highlights: Karnataka Records 74 Fresh Cases, 2 Fatalities
Covid Highlights: Please follow this space for the latest updates on the rise of COVID-19 cases and related developments in the country.
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Background
Covid News Highlights: COVID-19 cases have seen a rapid spike in the country with infections being reported from various states since after the emergence of Omircrom sub-variant JN.1. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also classified JN.1 as a distinct "variant of interest (VoI)," a shift from its previous designation under the A.2.86 sublineages. WHO defines VoIs as variants with potentially increased transmission rates due to genetic alterations and potential vaccine evasion capabilities. However, WHO also noted that, based on current data, the global health risk from JN.1 remains low.
On Sunday, India reported 656 fresh Covid cases and the active case tally reached 3,742, as per the data issued by the Union health ministry data. The death toll was recorded at 5,33,333 with one new death reported from Kerala in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am showed.
The country's Covid case tally is 4.50 crore (4,50,08,620). According to the health ministry's website, the number of people who have recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,44,71,545, and the national recovery rate is 98.81 per cent.
On Saturday, India witnessed its sharpest spike in a single day since May 21, 2023 as it recorded 752 Covid-19 cases. According to the data from Union Health Ministry data, four deaths were reported on Saturday of which, two were from Kerala, one each in Rajasthan and Karnataka, as per the data.
Talking about the new variant, Dr Randeep Guleria, former director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said Covid-19 subvariant JN.1 is not causing severe infections and hospitalisation. He said that JN.1 is spreading more rapidly, and is gradually becoming a dominant variant
JN.1 is causing more infections but data suggests that most of the symptoms are predominantly in the upper airways, Dr Guleria said. These symptoms include fever, cough, cold, sore throat, running nose, and body aches. Dr Guleria also said that India does not need a variant-specific vaccine, but one which covers several variants.
Covid Live: Delhi Health Minister urges caution as Covid positivity rate nears 1%
Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Tuesday said the national capital's Covid positivity rate is around 1 per cent and stressed that people should, instead of panicking, follow precautions during the winter festival season.Genome sequencing of samples testing positive for COVID-19 has been ramped up, he said.The report of genome sequencing is awaited, Bharadwaj added.Talking about the situation in Delhi, he said 400 tests are being conducted every day and the positivity rate is around 1 per cent.Bharadwaj reiterated that the new JN.1 sub-variant of the Omicron strain is not life-threatening.The new variants are not dangerous but people should not become lax and (they must) follow precautions. People should not panic and think that the virus is spreading and people are dying. But people should be cautious during this time of the festival season, he added.With six more samples testing positive for JN.1, the number of infections of the new COVID-19 sub-variant reported in the country has risen to 69, official sources said on Tuesday. (PTI)
Covid Live: Karnataka records 74 fresh cases, 2 fatalities
Karnataka on Tuesday reported 74 fresh cases of Covid-19 and two coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours. This takes the total number of active cases in the state to 464, a Health bulletin said.With this, the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the state after the recent spike in cases stands at 9. According to the bulletin issued by the Health department, in the last 24 hours, as many as 44 patients have been discharged and a total of 6,403 tests have been conducted including 4,680 RT-PCR and 1,723 Rapid Antigen tests. Positivity rate stands at 1.15 per cent while case fatality rate stands at 2.70 per cent. (PTI)
Covid Live: Former CSIR DG recommends masking, advises to avoid crowding
On precautions against the JN.1 variant of Covid, Shekhar C Mande, former DG, CSIR told ANI, "People should practice physical distancing and also wear masks in public..."
Covid Live: Karnataka well prepared to handle JN.1 variant, Health Minister says
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundurao chaired a Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting on Covid precautionary measures in Bengaluru.
On the Covid-19 situation, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao told ANI, "There are 34 cases of JN.1 variant of Covid. We are well prepared. There is nothing alarming. The majority of the cases are in Bengaluru. We are advising people to maintain physical distancing." (ANI)
Covid Live: No New Case In Kerala, Infections Reduce By 32 To Reach 3,096
No fresh COVID-19 cases were reported from Kerala in the last 24 hours and the active cases have come down to 3,096, according to data on the Union Health Ministry website on Tuesday. There was a reduction of 32 cases taking the active cases to 3,096 from Monday's 3,128