Covid cases up, states told to ramp up testing

According to data from the Union Health Ministry, 127 new cases and one death have been reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, 111 cases and the death were reported from Kerala.

In a letter to the states, Union Health Secretary Sudhanshu Pant has also asked them to send all positive samples for whole genome sequencing to laboratories of INSACOG.

With Covid-19 cases on the rise, particularly in Kerala, the Centre has asked all states to remain vigilant and ensure adequate testing in all districts, with a high proportion of RT-PCR tests.

In a letter to the states, Union Health Secretary Sudhanshu Pant has also asked them to send all positive samples for whole genome sequencing to laboratories of INSACOG. The states have also been asked to regularly report cases of influenza-like illnesses, allowing for detecting rising trends early.

According to data from the Union Health Ministry, 127 new cases and one death have been reported in the past 24 hours. Of these, 111 cases and the death were reported from Kerala.

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Also, the Health Ministry has confirmed at least one case of new sub-variant JN.1 in Kerala during routine surveillance.

Don't miss | All you should know about JN.1

A traveller from Singapore to Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirapalli was previously detected to have the sub-variant. At least 15 cases of JN.1 have also been detected in Goa, according to senior officials with access to INSACOG data.

The sub-variant JN.1 is related to the BA.2.86 variant, commonly referred to as Pirola. It carries just one additional mutation in the spike protein as compared to Pirola. However, the Health Ministry said that there is no indication of increased severity from JN.1 or increased risk to public health as compared to other variants in circulation.

Following the detection of the JN.1 case in Kerala, neighbouring Karnataka’s Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said masks may be made mandatory for those aged above 60 years, as well as people with heart ailments and breathing issues.

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Explained

The Pirola worry

JN.1 is a descendant of BA.2.86, commonly referred to as Pirola, a variant of interest globally. While JN.1 has one additional mutation as compared to Pirola, the latter has more than 30 mutations as compared to its predecessor. This has led to the worry that Pirola and its descendants may evade existing immunity and lead to an increase in infections.

While the Centre’s letter urges states to ensure appropriate public health measures and promote respiratory hygiene, it does not specifically ask for mask mandates. Globally, there has been an increase in the number of cases being caused by Pirola and JN.1. Cases have been detected in the US, some European countries, Singapore and China. A statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) said that Pirola and its descendants accounted for 17% of the Sars-CoV-2 sequences uploaded to the global database GISAID. More than half of these sequences were that of JN.1 by December beginning. In the US, JN.1 accounted for 15% to 29% of the circulating Covid-19 variants.

In his letter to the states, Union Health Secretary Pant said: “Updated Covid-19 vaccines are expected to increase protection against JN.1.”

Most people in India have received shots that are based on the ancestral variant of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, but experts say repeated infections and a good coverage of vaccination means that additional doses might not be needed.

Dr Anurag Agarwal, dean of biosciences and health research at Trivedi School of Biosciences of Ashoka University and member of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Sars-CoV-2 Virus Evolution, said: “Most Indians have been exposed to Covid-19 at least two, or perhaps even three times, and have also received at least two doses of the vaccine. With a good level of immunity in the population — that can prevent severe disease — updated vaccines are not really needed in India to reduce the number of infections.”

Anonna Dutt

Anonna Dutt is a Principal Correspondent who writes primarily on health at the Indian Express. She reports on myriad topics ranging from the growing burden of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension to the problems with pervasive infectious conditions. She reported on the government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic and closely followed the vaccination programme. Her stories have resulted in the city government investing in high-end tests for the poor and acknowledging errors in their official reports. Dutt also takes a keen interest in the country’s space programme and has written on key missions like Chandrayaan 2 and 3, Aditya L1, and Gaganyaan. She was among the first batch of eleven media fellows with RBM Partnership to End Malaria. She was also selected to participate in the short-term programme on early childhood reporting at Columbia University’s Dart Centre. Dutt has a Bachelor’s Degree from the Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune and a PG Diploma from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. She started her reporting career with the Hindustan Times. When not at work, she tries to appease the Duolingo owl with her French skills and sometimes takes to the dance floor. ... Read More

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