JN.1 Bihar cases: New Covid guidelines issued to IGIMS and Patna AIIMS, availability of oxygen and ICU beds assessed; Details here
The Additional Chief Secretary, Ministry of Health, Government of Bihar has issued the strict guidelines for COVID testing to all medical colleges, hospital inspectors and also the civil surgeons of RMRI, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, and one of the most prestigious institutions. in Bihar, AIIMS Patna.
Patna: The number of cases of the COVID-19 virus is increasing across the country, and Bihar seems to be no exception. We all remember how important the availability of hospital beds and oxygen cylinders became when the second wave of COVID-19 swept across India. Taking into account the negative impact of the currently rising JN. 1 COVID variant may have, the Bihar health department has set the warning bells ringing. It has directed all major and minor hospitals in Bihar to strictly monitor the availability of hospital beds and oxygen cylinders to control the situation if it worsens. Moreover, it has also directed the hospitals to conduct COVID-19 tests on patients with symptoms of fever, cough and respiratory diseases such as ILI (flu-like illness) and SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infection).
The Additional Chief Secretary, Ministry of Health, Government of Bihar has issued the strict guidelines for COVID testing to all medical colleges, hospital inspectors and also the civil surgeons of RMRI, Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, and one of the most prestigious institutions. in Bihar, AIIMS Patna, according to a report by English Jagran.
India reports 646 new Covid cases and one death
India recorded 656 new cases of COVID-19 and one death in the last 24 hours, data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare showed on Sunday. According to the MoHFW data, a total of 656 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours. The ministry said there are a total of 3,742 active COVID cases in India.
A maximum of 128 cases were reported from Kerala, while Karnataka recorded 96 new infections. The number of COVID cases has increased in India in recent weeks. Center and states have raised alarm over the new JN.1 COVID variant. The cases of this new variant have not only been found in India but also in other countries such as Singapore and England.
How is the JN.1 variant different?
JN.1, from the lineage of the Omicron variant of Covid, is quickly driving much of the current winter wave of Covid-19 infections around the world. The species was first discovered in Luxembourg in August and is currently present in around 41 countries, including India.
Due to its rapid spread, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86. It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages. The WHO said JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries.
The variant is also driving the number of infections in India. On Saturday, India saw a rise of 752 coronavirus infections in a day, the highest since May 21, 2023, while the active caseload increased to 3,420, according to Union Health Ministry data. Till December 21, twenty-two cases of JN.1 (21 from Goa and 1 from Kerala) have been detected in the country.
JN.1 is a descendant of BA.2.86, with the earliest sample collected on August 25, 2023. Compared to BA.2.86, JN.1 has the additional L455S mutation in the spike protein, making it more transmissible. However, no signs of new or unusual symptoms caused by the virus have yet been reported. So far, reported symptoms have mostly been limited to upper respiratory tract infections.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), changes in symptoms caused by different Covid variants depend on the now wide variety of antibodies people have from vaccinations, previous infections from different variants, or both.
(With input from agencies)