Two cases of Sub-Variant JN.1 detected in Odisha

Two cases of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in Odisha, a senior official said on Thursday.

The two cases were detected in Sundargarh and Bhubaneswar, while one of the patients has recovered completely and the other is under treatment. Samples that were found to be COVID-positive are being sent for genome sequencing.

"We are sending all the positives for genome sequencing. Two cases of JN.1 have come up in genome sequencing, while the total number of cases is 28. We will test the asymptomatic as per the ICMR guidelines and if they are found positive, they will be sent for genome sequencing," said Director of Health Services Bijay Kumar Mohapatra.


"Out of two cases of JN.1, one is under treatment and the other is totally free of symptoms. One patient also has a travel history in Kerala. There is nothing to worry about; new variants are a viral phenomenon and they will keep coming up," he added.

Meanwhile, a single-day rise of 760 new cases of COVID were recorded in the country as two more deaths have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours--one each in Kerala and Karnataka, according to data provided by the Union Health Ministry on Thursday.

The total active caseload of the viral disease was recorded at 4,423, a decrease of 17 since Wednesday morning, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (MoHFW).

The data is a compilation of Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (National Centre for Disease Control), media bulletins and websites of various States at 8 am on January 4.

With this, the total count of coronavirus cases in India since its outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,15,896. The death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 5,33,373 reflecting an increase of two deaths.