Kerala Reports 265 Fresh COVID-19 Cases and 1 Death in 24 Hours

In the latest update on the COVID-19 situation, Kerala has recorded 265 new cases and one death in the past 24 hours, according to data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The reported death has pushed the state's total COVID-19-related fatalities in the past three years to 72,060. Kerala currently accounts for over 80% of the total active COVID-19 cases in the country.

Within the same 24-hour period, 275 individuals have recovered or been discharged after testing positive, bringing the cumulative count of recoveries in the state to 68,37,689. In the previous update on Thursday, Kerala reported 300 new COVID-19 cases and three fatalities.

State Health Minister Veena George chaired a meeting with senior health officials on Tuesday, emphasizing the importance of vigilance over creating fear during the rise in COVID-19 cases. A decision was made during the meeting to enforce compulsory mask-wearing in all state hospitals. Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam districts, where the majority of recent cases are being reported, will be a priority focus. Minister George assured the public that hospitals are well-equipped to manage virus infections.

Meanwhile, India reported 640 new COVID-19 infections on Friday, with active cases rising from 2,669 to 2,997, according to the Union Health Ministry. The nation's total COVID-19 count now exceeds 4.50 crore, with a death toll of 5,33,328. Recoveries have surged to 4,44,70,887, contributing to a national recovery rate of 98.81%. The case fatality rate remains at 1.19%. The health ministry's data indicates that 220.67 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered across the country to date.

Concerns Rise Over JN.1 Sub-Variant: 26 Cases Confirmed in India

India has confirmed 26 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant of the COVID-19 virus, raising concerns among health authorities. Goa reported 19 cases, Rajasthan identified four, and Kerala, Delhi, and Maharashtra each reported one case. However, all 19 instances in Goa have been confirmed as inactive, easing worries.

Derived from the BA.2.86 variant, known as Pirola, the JN.1 sub-variant first emerged in the United States in September and gained global attention in January. India's first case of JN.1 was identified in Kerala on December 8. Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the National Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force, highlighted that the JN.1 variant shows potential for faster transmission and immune evasion. At present, there is no evidence suggesting that the JN.1 sub-variant causes more severe symptoms or spreads more rapidly than existing circulating variants.