Telangana reports 31 cases of new Covid variant

A total of 22 cases of JN.1.1 and nine cases of JN1, the recent coronavirus variants that have become the dominant Covid strain, have been reported from Telangana

Hyderabad: A total of 22 cases of JN.1.1 and nine cases of JN1, the recent coronavirus variants that have become the dominant Covid strain, have been reported from Telangana.

While the testing for Covid infections in Telangana is relatively low, when compared to other States, the latest reports from genomic testing laboratories under India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), have given clear indications that JN.1.1 and JN. 1 variants are dominant.

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Based on laboratory testing results between December 2023 and January 5, 2023, a total of 31 individuals from Telangana, all from Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal-Malkajgiri districts, tested positive for JN.1.1 and JN.1 variants.

Public health officials tracking Covid-19 in Telangana have indicated that unless specifically prescribed by a doctor, the majority of individuals with Covid-like symptoms were not showing inclination towards getting tested for Covid. Even those patients, who visit the local Basthi and Palle Dawakhanas for testing, come back empty-handed, because of the limited number of rapid diagnostic tests.

The major reason for the lack of demand for testing and even for fresh Covid vaccine booster shots in Hyderabad is the lack of severe infections from JN.1 infection, which was not the case with earlier Covid variants like Delta. “It clearly appears that the new Covid variant of JN.1 is not as virulent as the earlier Delta variant, which impacted lungs within a few days of infection. While cases of upper respiratory tract infections and influenza-like illness have increased in outpatient wings, the fact also remains that those who test positive are recovering without any major health complications. I urge senior citizens and persons with pre-existing diseases to be careful,” says OGH Superintendent Dr G Nagender.

Interestingly, unlike Telangana, the process of lifting samples and taking up genome testing to detect JN.1, as a part of Covid surveillance, has been quite robust in neighbouring Karnataka and other States. Karnataka is on an overdrive in conducting genome testing. So far, it has reported 101 JN.1 positive cases and 279 positive Covid cases of the JN 1.1 variant, which is the highest in the country.

While the severity of JN.1 is not comparable to earlier Covid variants, its infectivity, or ability to transmit infection, is quite high. Within a short span of a few weeks, the JN.1 has become the number one coronavirus variant in the country.