No need to worry: Kerala Health Minister on Covid subvariant JN.1

After a case of the JN.1 subvariant of COVID-19 was identified in Kerala, state Health Minister Veena George on Sunday assured the people that there is no need to worry.

The state Health Minister also appealed to the people to stay vigilant.
“No need for any worry. That is a sub-variant (COVID-19 sub-strain JN.1). Two or three months back it was detected in Indians when they were tested at Singapore airport,” George said.

“As Kerala’s health system is so good, we could detect it through genomic sequencing. No need to worry. We are keenly monitoring the situation. But we should be alert. People with comorbidities should be taken care of,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Union Ministry of Health has initiated preparedness measures after a case of the JN.1 subvariant of COVID was identified in Kerala as part of the ongoing routine surveillance conducted by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), said a government release on Saturday.

Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director-General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), confirmed this development during a press briefing in New Delhi.
A mock drill is underway in health facilities across states, evaluating public health and hospital readiness. This exercise, overseen by district collectors, commenced on December 13 and is scheduled for completion by December 18.

The Union Ministry of Health maintains regular communication with the State Department of Health in Kerala and closely monitors various points of entry.
While the majority of cases in Kerala are reported to be clinically mild, the health authorities emphasise the importance of ongoing vigilance and preparedness to effectively manage the evolving situation related to COVID-19 variants.

The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a network of Genomic Laboratories, has been actively monitoring the genomic aspects of COVID-19 in India.

The detection of the JN.1 subvariant is in line with revised surveillance guidelines that involve testing patients with Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) for COVID-19. Positive cases are then referred for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS).

The specific case of JN.1 was identified in an RT-PCR positive sample from Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 8. The patient, who initially tested positive on November 18, experienced mild symptoms of ILI and has since recovered from COVID-19. JN.1 was first detected in September 2023 in the United States.