More JN.1 Covid cases expected as transmissibility high: Kerala health minister

Kerala health minister Veena George on Friday said the state has been seeing a slight increase in Covid cases since November because its number of sample tests is higher than other states.

The situation is absolutely under control, the health minister said allaying fears about the new JN.1 variant. Kerala reported 265 fresh Covid infections and one death in the last 24 hours.

“In November, we sent a sample for genome sequencing. A sample of a 79-year-old woman which was sent for genome sequencing on November 18 was found to be of JN.1. She was in home isolation and now she is alright. We have been sending samples from November 1 onwards. Our number of tests is high so naturally, we find more positive cases. However, there has been no increase in ICU occupancy, ventilator occupancy or isolation bed occupancy. Those who died had severe comorbidities; one person had cancer and the other patient had chronic kidney disease, and heart disease. No one had Covid complications,” the minister said.

“The situation is totally under control. We have to expect more cases as airport surveillance done in Singapore Airport shows that 19 passengers from India, not only Keraa but different parts, were found with JN.1. We have plan A, B, C ready. There is nothing to worry about. The transmissibility of this variant is more but the severity is less,” Veena George said.

Several states have reported JN.1 Covid cases — the variant that the World Health Organization has categorised as a variant of interest, not of concern yet. Former chief scientists of WHO Soumya Swaminathan said people need to exercise caution but there is no need to worry as there is no data to suggest that this variant is more severe or it is going to cause more pneumonia or more death. “I think what we need to do is try to take the normal preventive measures that we are all now familiar with. We were familiar with Omicron, so it’s the same family. So not much has changed, but 1 or 2 new mutations have come up. And that’s why I think WHO has said let’s keep a watch on it. It’s a variant of interest. It’s not a variant of concern,” Swaminathan said.

The health ministry said there is no plan to make RT-PCR test mandatory at airports yet though the number of cases is rising. All states and Union Territories have been alerted to keep preparations ready.

What is JN.1? What are its symptoms?

JN.1 is a new sub-lineage of BA.2.86, an offshoot of the omicron variant. It has additional mutations in the spike protein. JN.1 has enhanced immune-evasion properties for which it is spreading rapidly. But there are no new or severe symptoms.

JN.1 was first detected in Denmark and Israel in late July 2023.

According to experts, the variant has been circulating in India probably since November.

It has more than 35 amino acid mutations in the parent strain in the spike region, which the virus uses to enter and infect human cells, that may alter its transmissibility.

Cough, cold, throat pain, headache, mild breathlessness are the symptoms of JN.1 like other variants of Covid.