India sees 752 new Covid cases, 4 deaths in 24 hours

The country’s Covid case tally stood at 4.50 crore (4,50,07,964).

The number of people recuperated from the disease has increased to 4,44,71,212, and the national recovery rate stands at 98.81 per cent, according to the health ministry’s website. The fatality rate stands at 1.19 per cent.

The ministry’s website stated that 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far.

Two new cases detected in Gurugram

The number of active Covid cases in Gurugram district reached four after two more instances of the infection was detected, the health department said.

District Surveillance Officer Dr Jai Prakash Rajliwal said a 36-year-old man who had returned from Indonesia got tested for Covid due to sore throat, cold and cough and was found infected. Apart from this, a 32-year-old woman was also found Covid infected but the health department did not find any travel history of the woman, he added.

States advise caution, masks for elderly

The Odisha government advised elderly persons and those with comorbidities to wear masks. Odisha Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) department wrote, “With the emergence of #JN1CovidVariant, #Odisha Government has advised the elderly people and those with comorbidities to wear a facemask while going out and avoid visiting crowded places. #OdishaCares.”

The Mizoram government appealed to the people of the state to adhere to COVID-appropriate behaviour during the upcoming Christmas-New Year festive season. Health Minister Lalrinpuii said that although no case of the JN.1 sub-variant has been reported in the northeastern state and there is nothing to panic about, adherence to COVID-appropriate behaviour by every individual is of utmost importance.

Meanwhile, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta asserted that there was no reason to be anxious about the Covid-19 situation in the state as no person without any travel history has tested positive for the coronavirus for a long time. He allayed fears about the new sub-variant JN.1, stating that experts have claimed that it is a weak strain of the virus and human bodies have developed immunity to fight it.

Jharkhand is prepared to deal with any spurt in COVID-19 cases, although the situation is presently under control, a health official said. No fresh coronavirus cases have been reported in the state since December 18, when two infections were detected in a Jamshedpur hospital, the official said.

Evidence of brain injury present even months after acute Covid infection, study finds

Markers of brain injury developed due to COVID-19 were found in patients even months after the infection and despite blood tests measuring inflammation returning normal results, according to a new research.

Researchers from universities in the UK explained that during the acute phase of the viral infection, when symptoms develop quickly, key inflammatory proteins and brain injury markers are produced. They analysed over 800 hospitalised patients’ samples from across England and Wales. Surprisingly, even months after being discharged from the hospital, there is on-going robust biomarker evidence of brain injury developed due to COVID-19, the researchers said.

(With inputs from PTI)