• In Britain alone, 1.9 million people say they are experiencing symptoms of long Covid-19
• Scientists found that people with long Covid-19 had problems with iron levels in the blood

By Xantha Leatham, deputy science editor of The Daily Mail

Published: 09:51 EST, March 4, 2024 | Updated: 12:03 EST, March 4, 2024

As many as 1,200 cases of COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 have been detected in 17 states and Union Territories across India, with Nagaland becoming the latest state to join the fray.

COVID-19 update: India has so far recorded a total of 1,200 cases of COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 across 17 states and Union Territories, with Nagaland becoming the latest state to report a JN.1 infection, the INSACOG said on Saturday.

According to data collected by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), Karnataka tops the list for the highest number of JN.1 cases at 215, followed by Andhra Pradesh (189), Maharashtra (170), Kerala (154) . ), West Bengal (96), Goa (90), Tamil Nadu (88) and Gujarat (76).

Telangana and Rajasthan have recorded 32 JN.1 cases each, Chhattisgarh has recorded 25, Delhi 16, Uttar Pradesh 7, Haryana five, Odisha three and Uttarakhand and Nagaland one each, according to the data accessed by news agency PTI.

No reason to panic, officials say

While the number of JN.1 cases has risen in the country, officials and experts have maintained that the new variant does not pose a serious health risk and urged the public not to panic.

“Although the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 subvariant has been detected in the country, there is no need for immediate concern as the majority of those infected opt for home treatment, indicating mild disease,” officials said.

States have been urged to effectively adhere to the detailed operational guidelines for the revised COVID-19 surveillance strategy shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“Currently available data suggest that the JN.1 subvariant does not lead to an exponential increase in the number of new cases, nor does it lead to an increase in hospitalizations and mortality rates,” the official said.

The Center has asked states and Union Territories to maintain constant vigil amid rise in Covid cases and detection of JN.1 subvariant in the country.

States have been urged to effectively comply with the detailed operational guidelines for the revised COVID-19 surveillance strategy shared with them by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

States have also been asked to regularly monitor and report district-wise cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) from all health facilities for early detection of rising trend of Covid cases.

JN.1 subvariant

The World Health Organization has classified JN.1 as a separate “major variant” given its rapidly increasing spread, but said it poses a “low” global public health risk.

The JN.1 subvariant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sublineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said.

Several countries, including China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, have reported a rise in new coronavirus cases. The JN.1 strain, first detected in September in the United States, is a descendant of BA.2.86, a highly mutated variant of the Omicron strain of COVID-19.

(With input from agencies)

As the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the new variant JN.1 has raised alarm due to its association with an increased risk of pneumonia.

DOCTOR VERIFIED

The COVID-19 JN.1 variant, like other variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, raises concerns about the risk of pneumonia due to its potential impact on the severity of respiratory infections. Pneumonia, an inflammatory condition that affects the air sacs in the lungs, is a known complication of COVID-19, and certain variants may influence its prevalence and severity.

First, it is important to note that viruses mutate over time, leading to the emergence of new variants. The JN.1 variant may exhibit changes in the spike protein or other genomic regions, potentially affecting transmissibility, virulence, or the efficacy of immune responses.

Understanding the impact of JN.1 variant on pneumonia

Concerns about pneumonia arise because some variants can increase the virus’s ability to enter and infect respiratory cells. If the JN.1 variant shows increased transmissibility or a higher affinity for lung cells, this could potentially increase the risk of serious respiratory infections, including pneumonia.

In addition, variants can affect the immune response, potentially evading previous immunity from previous infections or vaccinations. If the JN.1 variant exhibits immune escape mechanisms, individuals previously infected or vaccinated may still be susceptible to reinfection, increasing the risk of pneumonia in the event of re-exposure. The severity of pneumonia risk can also be influenced by individual factors such as age, underlying health conditions, and overall immune system health. Older adults and individuals with pre-existing health problems tend to be more vulnerable to serious respiratory complications.

Monitoring the characteristics of the JN.1 variant and its association with the risk of pneumonia involves continued investigation and surveillance. Healthcare systems must adapt strategies for early detection, efficient contact tracing, and appropriate public health measures to mitigate the potential impact of emerging variants.

Public health measures, including vaccination campaigns, remain critical in reducing the overall burden of severe respiratory infections and pneumonias associated with COVID-19 variants. Vaccination efforts are intended not only to prevent infection, but also to reduce the severity of the disease and the risk of complications, including pneumonia.

According to Dr Aniket Mule, Consultant Internal Medicine, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road: “While concerns about the risk of pneumonia with the COVID-19 JN.1 variant are plausible, continued research and surveillance are essential for a comprehensive understanding of its characteristics of it and its impact on the disease. respiratory health. Vaccination, adherence to public health measures and personalized healthcare interventions based on evolving scientific knowledge are key components in mitigating the potential risks associated with emerging variants of the virus.”

Talking about the JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron, Maharashtra reported 10 cases till Saturday.

Maharashtra COVID-19 cases: The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra reached 172 on Saturday, with zero fatalities, the health department said. These new coronavirus infections indicate an upward trend in the state for weeks.

In the week of December 24 to 30, there were 620 cases, compared to the previous week, December 17 to 24, when only 103 infections were recorded. 19 cases were reported each from December 3 to 9 and from December 10 to 16.

Talking about the JN.1 sub-variant of Omicron, Maharashtra reported 10 cases till Saturday. These cases came from the cities of Thane, Pune and Akola, and the districts of Pune and Sindhudurg.

Omicron XBB.1.16 is a dominant variant of COVID-19 and a total of 1,972 cases have been reported, according to the health department.

In terms of national figures, India reported a decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases, with 743 new infections, which is 54 fewer than the day before. Now the country is dealing with 3,997 active conditions.

Since COVID-19 emerged on the scene in January 2020, India has been hit by as many as 4,50,12,484 cases.

Additionally, the country has reported a total of 145 cases of the COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 as of December 28.

These cases were discovered in samples collected between November 21 and December 18, 2023. The JN.1 subvariant is derived from the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2.86 or Pirola, with Kerala being the first state to report a case.

Since COVID-19 emerged on the scene in January 2020, India has been hit by a whopping 4,50,12,484 cases, which gives you an idea of ​​the severity of the pandemic in the country. But remember: this figure corresponds not only to current cases, but also includes those who have managed to defeat the disease.

New Delhi: India has reported a decline in new COVID-19 cases over the past day, recording 743 new infections, which is 54 fewer than the day before. Now the country is dealing with 3,997 active conditions. This promising trend reflects the country’s hard work to curb the pandemic. If you look at the May 19 numbers, there were 865 new cases, so we’re seeing a consistent decline.

Since COVID-19 emerged on the scene in January 2020, India has been hit by a whopping 4,50,12,484 cases, which gives you an idea of ​​the severity of the pandemic in the country. But remember: this figure corresponds not only to current cases, but also includes those who have managed to defeat the disease.

Death toll from Covid-19 cases

The death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 5,33,358. Seven new fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, including three from Kerala, two from Karnataka and one each from Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh. Additionally, the country has reported a total of 145 cases of the COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 as of December 28.

These cases were discovered in samples collected between November 21 and December 18, 2023. The JN.1 subvariant is derived from the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2.86 or Pirola, with Kerala being the first state to report a case.

Overall recovery from the disease has reached over 4.4 crore individuals, reflecting a national recovery rate of 98.81 percent. As per available data, the country has administered a total of 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

India recorded 797 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the highest in 225 days, taking the number of active infections in the country to 4,091.

COVID-19 update: India has recorded 162 cases of COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 till Friday, with the highest number reported from Kerala with 83 such infections, followed by 34 cases in Gujarat. Several states have reported a rise in Covid cases in the past few weeks and nine states and Union Territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 subvariant of the virus, according to updated data from INSACOG on Friday.

These states are: Kerala (83), Gujarat (34), Goa (18), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).

According to the INSACOG data, 145 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November.

India records 797 new cases of COVID-19

Meanwhile, 797 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded across the country on Friday, the highest in 225 days, bringing the number of active cases to 4,091, according to Health Ministry data.

According to the ministry’s data updated at 8 am, five new fatalities due to Covid have been reported in a span of 24 hours – two from Kerala and one each from Maharashtra, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.

India had recorded 865 new cases on May 19.

The number of daily cases had fallen to double digits until December 5, but cases have risen again following the emergence of a new variant and cold weather.

The daily figures were in lakhs at the height of the pandemic, which started in early 2020 and has since infected more than 4.5 million people and caused more than 5.3 lakh deaths across the country in about four years.

According to the ministry’s website, the number of people who have recovered from the disease is over 4.4 crore, with a national recovery rate of 98.81 percent.

According to the website, 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccines have been administered in the country so far.

JN.1 threat

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate ‘major variant’ given its rapidly increasing spread, but said it poses a ‘low’ global public health risk.

The JN.1 subvariant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sublineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said.

However, JN.1 cases continued to be reported from multiple countries in recent weeks and its prevalence has increased rapidly worldwide.

The Center has asked states and Union Territories to maintain constant vigil amid rise in Covid cases and detection of JN.1 subvariant in the country.

(With input from agencies)

A total of 109 cases of the JN.1 subvariant have been detected in India till Wednesday, according to Health Ministry sources.

New Delhi: In a worrying development, the national capital recorded two new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday. The Medical Superintendent of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Hospital informed that the reports of the positive cases have been sent for genome sequencing to confirm cases of the subvariant, JN.1. Earlier today, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed that there are currently no new cases of the JN.1 sub-variant of COVID in Delhi after a patient infected with the virus was discharged on Thursday.

“We have increased the number of tests. Yesterday, we conducted 636 tests in private and government hospitals combined. Three genome sequencing results were received yesterday, two of which were old Omicron variants and one JN.1, Minister Bhardwaj said.

The Health Minister reassured the public and emphasized: “The new variant is mild and does not make people seriously ill. Giving details of the patient with the JN.1 variant, he said: “The patient has already been discharged from the hospital and is now healthy.” “We can say that there are currently no patients with the JN.1 variant in Delhi,” he added.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has issued guidelines for suspected or positive COVID-19 cases to be reported in hospitals following the sudden increase in coronavirus cases in the country.

Covid-19 updates: see key details here

• Delhi recorded two new cases of Covid-19 on Thursday.
• The reports of the positive cases have been sent for genome sequencing to confirm cases of the JN.1 subvariant
• India has recorded 692 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The total number of active cases rose by four to 4,097
• According to official data, six deaths were reported in the country in the last 24 hours: two in Maharashtra and one each in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala and West Bengal.
• With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in India since the outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,10,944, with a rise of 702 cases in the last 24 hours.
• The total death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 5,33,346, reflecting an increase of six deaths in the last 24 hours.
• The JN.1 subvariant is a descendant of the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2.86 or Pirola. The first case of the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 was reported in Kerala.
• A total of 109 cases of the JN.1 subvariant have been detected in India till Wednesday, according to Health Ministry sources.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) recently classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, separate from the parent lineage BA.2.86.
• The global health organization emphasized that the overall risk of JN.1 remains low based on current evidence.

India on Sunday recorded a rise of 656 COVID-19 infections in a day, while the number of active cases rose to 3,742, according to the data posted on the Union Health Ministry website.

COVID-19 update: Maharashtra reported 50 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, including nine new infections of the JN.1, taking the number of infections of the new subvariant in the state to 10. According to officials, JN.1 patients include five from Thane city, two from Pune city and one from a rural area of ​​Pune district, Akola city and Sindhudurg district.

One patient from Pune had traveled to the US, they said, adding that all patients who contracted the JN.1 subvariant have recovered.

India on Sunday recorded a rise of 656 COVID-19 infections in a day, while the number of active cases rose to 3,742, according to the data posted on the Union Health Ministry website.

The total number of infections since the spread of the novel coronavirus began three years ago has risen to 81,72,135 in Maharashtra, a state health bulletin said.

Maharashtra has so far tested 8,75,65,093 samples for COVID-19, of which 81,72,135 were found to be positive. As many as 80,23,418 patients have been discharged so far, the report said.

JN.1 variant

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the new strain as a separate ‘variant of concern’ given its rapidly increasing spread, but said it poses a ‘low’ global risk to public health.

Although the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 subvariant has been detected in the country, there is no need for immediate concern as 92 percent of those infected opt for home treatment, indicating mild disease, officials say. had said earlier.

‘Stay Vigilant, Don’t Panic’: AIIMS

Amid the increase in cases of the new COVID subvariant JN.1, AIIMS doctors urged people not to panic but remain alert and vigilant.

“People are getting infected with the new sub-variant of COVID-JN.1 in many states of the country. The patients’ symptoms are mild. Therefore, there is no need to panic but there is a need to remain alert,” Dr Neeraj Nischal – an additional professor in the Department of Medicine, AIIMS Delhi, told news agency ANI.

“We’ve said these kinds of ripples will continue to happen. Even during the first and second waves, we predicted that this virus would mutate further and that there would be a stage where it would become more contagious but at the same time cause less mortality or morbidity,” he said.

Those suffering from cold, cough or fever should keep their distance from other people, use masks and wash their hands with soap or use disinfectant, according to doctors.

In May, following a sustained decline in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths, and high levels of population immunity against SARS-CoV2, the WHO had declared that COVID-19 was no longer a public health emergency of international importance.

(With input from agencies)

A Canadian woman has applied for euthanasia after Covid left her unemployed and in constant pain for a long time – amid fears that assisted dying has become too easy in Canada.

Tracey Thompson, 55, of Toronto, has not been able to work since contracting the virus in 2020 and is so sore and tired that she spends up to 22 hours a day in bed.

The former chef has been robbed of life’s simple pleasures: she’s too weak to cook, too nauseous to eat, and can’t listen to music, read, or watch movies because her brain fog is so intense that she can’t… cannot process’. .’

In the almost four years she has been suffering from her illness, she has not been able to work and her savings have run out. She also has no family to speak of and has lost all her friends.

Now Ms. Thompson is trying to take her own life through Canada’s assisted dying program, widely considered one of the most tolerant in the world.

“My quality of life with this disease is almost non-existent, it’s not a good life,” she told DailyMail.com. ‘I do nothing. It’s painfully boring. It’s extremely isolating.’

In Canada, anyone with an incurable medical condition can apply to die, even if the disease itself, like long Covid, is not terminal.

Thompson contracted Covid-19 in March 2020 and, like millions of patients, developed a sore throat and lost her sense of taste and smell.

But it wasn’t until months later that her hellish ordeal really began. Instead of getting better like most after a few weeks, her health slowly deteriorated.

By May of that year, she was still having trouble thinking, breathing or doing any exercise and went to the emergency department, where doctors performed tests.

“At the time they didn’t even know how long Covid was – no one did,” Ms Thompson said.

When doctors couldn’t find anything definitive, they sent her home, leaving Ms Thompson feeling “dismissed”, adding that she found it “difficult to be taken seriously”.

In the fall, she was back in the hospital after experiencing chest pain and struggling to catch her breath for 36 hours. After months of tests and doctor and hospital visits, she was finally diagnosed with long Covid in 2021.

Initially able to live on her savings, her finances began to dwindle as she had no active income and had to pay for housing, food and medical treatment.

Now without a job or energy to do much, Ms Thompson tells DailyMail.com that every day is “painfully boring”.

Most days look the same: she wakes up, takes several medications, drinks a meal replacement shake, and goes to the bathroom.

Mustering up enough energy to go to the bathroom is the “biggest part of my day.”

Then she lies back in bed and waits until it’s time to eat. Mrs. Thompson was once a professional chef who loved cooking and food. She has become “allergic to everything” and the food she can eat is limited. Most days she cooks unseasoned chicken and vegetables.

Then she takes more medication, including a pill to help her sleep. “Then I wake up and do the whole thing again.”

Ms Thompson has no family and says she has lost most of her friends to her illness. She also had to give away her dog because she could no longer properly care for her.

She sometimes attends virtual sessions of long Covid support groups and scrolls Twitter to find people in similar situations because “there are people there.”

On a good day, Ms. Thompson says, she can sometimes sit up in her chair at the computer for a while and walks around the block twice a month.

She told DailyMail.com: ‘My quality of life with this disease is almost non-existent. There is a real absence of life. It’s not a good life.’

In December 2022, she enrolled in Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying, a program that allows people to take their own lives if they have an incurable disease.

Mrs. Thompson told it CTV News Toronto in July 2022, her decision was mainly ‘a financial consideration’ due to her tense circumstances.

While she applied for the program, she told this website that she was legally unable to discuss any further details about the status of her MAiD request.

Adopted in June 2016, only people with a terminal illness where death from natural causes was reasonably foreseeable – known as Track One patients – were eligible for MAiD.

But in March 2021, legislation was updated to create Track Two patients. These are defined as people suffering from an ‘intolerable’ and ‘irreversible’ illness or disability and who may not yet be close to death from natural causes.

Last year, data showed that 13,241 people chose MAiD to die, a 31 percent increase from 2021. This accounted for one in 20 deaths in the country.

The controversial policy, which has some concerned people will commit suicide out of desperation, was further updated in December 2022 so that people looking to MAiD to end their lives solely because of mental illness will become eligible in March 2024.

To qualify for MAiD, people must meet all the criteria: be eligible for government-funded health services; be at least 18 years old and considered mentally competent; has an irreversible medical condition – a condition that is irreversible, in an advanced stage and causing unbearable physical or mental suffering – makes a voluntary request for death; and give informed consent to receive medical assistance to end your life.

There are two methods MAiD uses to end someone’s life. In the first case, a doctor or nurse administers a drug that causes death. In the second case, a doctor or nurse prescribes a medication to a patient that he or she takes himself or herself.

Medications used in MAiD deaths are often medications that healthcare providers already use for other purposes, but in much lower doses, such as pain management, anesthesia, and nausea.

Since her first Covid diagnosis, Ms Thompson has been diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).

ME/CFS is a complicated condition that many doctors remain skeptical about, given its ambiguous definition, difficulty in diagnosing, unknown cause, and similarity to other conditions or side effects of other conditions. Some have even suggested that the disease does not exist.

Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome are diagnosed after suffering from severe exhaustion that does not improve with rest for six months, and patients report feeling so tired that they are homebound for days after performing even the simplest tasks.

There is no cure for the condition.

She has also been diagnosed with POTS, a condition in which the heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from a sitting or lying position. With POTS, the body cannot keep blood flowing at a healthy pace and cannot keep blood pressure steady and steady.

The condition can cause lightheadedness, lightheadedness, brain fog, fatigue, and chest pain. The exact cause of POTS is not known, but people who have recently suffered from a viral illness are at greater risk of developing the syndrome.

In addition, she has been diagnosed with MCAS, a condition in which a person repeatedly experiences symptoms of anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction. Symptoms include hives, low blood pressure, swelling and breathing difficulties.

Severe anaphylaxis can be fatal.

Although the symptoms resemble an allergic reaction, MCAS is not caused by allergies, although allergy treatment, such as antihistamines and epinephrine, can be helpful in treating the condition when symptoms occur.

There is also no cure for this condition.

Long Covid is estimated to affect between nine and twenty million Americans, but it is notoriously difficult to diagnose as most clinical diagnostic tests appear normal and much was not known about it in the early days of the pandemic .

Although millions of people report suffering from the condition, Covid has long been difficult to diagnose as most diagnostic tests – such as urinalysis or X-rays – appear normal.

Patients are often dismissed by doctors who think it’s all in their heads or that they have an entirely different condition.

The condition consists of a constellation of symptoms that persist after a person recovers from the initial Covid infection, including persistent fatigue and brain fog.

However, a study published in September found that blood tests of people who report suffering from long Covid-19 show clear biological differences from people who do not have the condition.

The study suggested that blood tests could be helpful in identifying possible treatments for symptoms, which would give hope to those who report living with the condition.