COVID Update: Delhi Reports First Case Of New Variant JN.1; Total Cases In India 109

New Delhi: The national Capital on Wednesday reported the first case of new COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1, health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

“Out of the 3 samples sent for Genome Sequencing, one is JN.1 and two are Omicron. JN.1 is a sub-variant of Omicron and is a mild infection. This is the one spreading in south India. There is no need to panic. It causes mild sickness,” the minister told ANI.

A Delhi government official told PTI that multiple samples were sent for genome sequencing, of which one tested positive for JN.1.

Across India, the number of JN.1 cases stands at 109 in 9 states.

The maximum number of cases (36) of the new variant are from Gujarat, 34 from Karnataka, 14 from Goa, 9 from Maharashtra, 6 from Kerala, 4 from Rajasthan, 4 from Tamil Nadu and 2 from Telangana.

Union Health secretary Sudhansh Pant wrote to the states and union territories last week to put in place necessary public health measures in the ongoing festive season.