Centre calls for health meeting as coronavirus new variant cases rise in Kerala

New Delhi : Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called for an urgent meeting with health ministers of the states to assess situation about rising coronavirus cases and preparedness to tackle it in India. The states have been put on high alert.

In Kerala, both coronavirus cases and deaths related to it are increasing rapidly. Daily cases detected in the state have tripled within a week, while 10 deaths have been reported so far.

The new covid variant JN.1 has been detected in Kerala in an elderly woman.

On December 16, Kerala reported 302 new Covid cases and four deaths, the highest in the latest outbreak. On December 10, Kerala had reported 109 cases. Daily cases crossed 200 on December 12 and, within four days, Kerala reported over 300 fresh cases.

Meanwhile, the states have also issued an advisory in which people with more than 60 years of age have been advised to wear masks in public areas.

JN.1 was first identified in August and reports suggest it carried significant mutations that may contribute to increased transmissibility and immune-escape ability. JN.1 variant has also been reported in the USA, China, and Singapore.