India reports 636 new Covid infections, 196 case of JN.1 sub-variant

India on Monday logged 636 fresh Covid 19 infections in the last 24 hrs, while the number of active cases of the infection have increased to 4,394 in the country. In the same time span, three new fatalities due to Covid– two from Kerala and one from Tamil Nadu – have also been reported.

Meanwhile, the number of cases infected with JN.1 Covid 19 sub variant have jumped to 196 in the country. As per the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG) data, along with Odisha joining the list of states that have detected the presence of the JN.1 variant, a total of 196 cases of this variant have been detected in the country so far.

Ten states and Union territories have so far detected the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the virus. These states are Kerala (83), Goa (51), Gujarat (34), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two) Odisha (one) and Delhi (one), according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG).

The INSACOG’s data showed 179 Covid cases recorded in the country in December had the presence of JN.1, while 17 such cases were detected in November. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate “variant of interest” given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a “low” global public health risk.

However, as per the health ministry data, the number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore with a national recovery rate of 98.81 per cent. The center has said that a total 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccines have so far been administered in the country.