Latest news with #JN.1
India.com
20 hours ago
- Health
- India.com
Corona cases jump 1300% in 9 days, 21 deaths in just..., active cases surge to...
File/Representational Corona cases: Amid the latest wave of Covid-19, the number of SARS-CoV2 infections in the country has risen to 3783, rising at a rate of 1372 % in the last nine days. As many as 511 new cases were recorded from the previous day, according to the latest update by the Health Ministry on Saturday. Meanwhile, 255 patients were discharged or migrated in the last 24 hours, indicating an improvement in recovery. According to the website of the Health Department, there were 257 cases in India on May 22. As per the data, Kerala has the highest number of cases at 1400. Maharashtra has 485 active cases and Delhi has 436 active cases. There have been 28 deaths due to corona since January. Out of these, 21 people have died in the last 2 days. Kerala with 1,147 cases is the worst-hit state, followed by Maharashtra (424), Delhi (294), and Gujarat (223). The highest number of deaths have been reported from Maharashtra (7), followed by Kerala (5), and Delhi (2). Meanwhile, 255 patients were discharged or migrated in the last 24 hours, indicating an improvement in recovery. The cumulative number of recovered cases since January 1 stands at 1,170. Kerala (72), Delhi (77), and Maharashtra (34) contributed the highest number of recoveries on the day. As per the latest data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), set up under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 — descendants of JN.1 Covid variant in the country –are responsible for the rise in SARS-CoV-2 cases in the country. Common symptoms associated with these variants include fever, runny nose, sore throat, headaches, fatigue, and exhaustion. Recently, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Director General at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) assured the country that there is nothing to worry about as the infections are not severe. (With inputs from agencies)
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Two people died of Covid in Delhi within 24 hours; total no. of active cases in India stand at 3,395
NEW DELHI: Two more persons with Covid-19 died in the last 24 hours, taking the capital's death toll for this year to three. The city documented 81 fresh infections since Friday, with the current active caseload standing at 375. Across India, the total number of active Covid-19 cases climbed to 3,395. As reported by the Union health ministry's Covid-19 dashboard on Saturday, the deceased were identified as a 60-year-old woman who experienced acute intestinal obstruction following abdominal surgery and tested positive for Covid-19, and a 71-year-old man with pneumonia, septic shock and acute kidney injury (AKI). Maharashtra has 467 active cases of Covid-19, Delhi 375 Kerala leads with 1,336 Covid-19 positive cases, whilst Maharashtra and Delhi follow with 467 and 375 cases, respectively. Other states, including Gujarat, Karnataka, and West Bengal, have also surpassed 200 cases, but their situation remains less severe compared to the top three affected regions. Dr Romel Tickoo, director of Internal Medicine at Max Hospital, Saket, indicated that during May 2024, India witnessed minimal Covid-19 activity, with very few active cases across the country. Nevertheless, by May 2025, the situation changed with a notable rise in case numbers. 'Despite its increased transmissibility, JN.1 does not appear to cause severe illness in most cases. However, the symptoms remained largely similar to those observed in the previous year,' he said. The JN.1 variant, a sub-lineage of the Omicron BA.2.86 strain, has become predominant in India, accounting for about 95% of recent cases. Explaining the nature of the new strain of Covid-19 currently circulating, Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant, internal medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, said that NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 are sub-lineages of JN.1, which itself is a descendant of earlier Omicron strains. They are not entirely new variants but evolved forms with additional mutations. Compared to the Delta variant, which was associated with severe lower respiratory tract infections, the current sub-variants primarily cause milder, upper respiratory symptoms. They are more transmissible but generally less severe, especially among vaccinated individuals. The precautions for the current wave of Covid-19 remain the same as in previous phases. Dr Neetu Jain, senior consultant in pulmonology, critical care, and sleep medicine at PSRI Hospital, advised that individuals should wear masks, particularly in crowded spaces and indoor venues, while maintaining distance from people displaying flu-like symptoms, including cough, cold or nasal congestion. She emphasised that those with symptoms should self-isolate and keep track of their health. The treatment protocol should focus on supportive measures such as staying hydrated and using paracetamol for fever management. She cautioned against self-administering antibiotics without a doctor's prescription.
News18
2 days ago
- Health
- News18
Updated Covid Vaccines Not Urgently Needed With Mild Surge: Former CSIR-IGIB Chief To News18
Last Updated: There's no need to panic, said Anurag Agrawal, as Covid-19, in its current form, is expected to stay mild for the majority Updated Covid vaccines may not be necessary at this stage, especially in a country like India, where the younger population is less vulnerable to severe outcomes, Anurag Agrawal, former director of the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), told News18. IGIB is a national laboratory of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR). India is witnessing a Covid-19 surge, with a total of 1,010 active cases as of May 26, 2025. The highest number of active cases is in Kerala (430), followed by Maharashtra (210), Delhi (104), and Gujarat (83). 'The current rise in cases can be attributed to waning antibody levels and minor mutations in the virus's spike protein," said Agrawal. Globally, Agrawal believes the newly updated Covid-19 vaccines are not proving highly effective against emerging strains. 'While mRNA technology allows for rapid updates to match circulating variants, it remains the only platform capable of such flexibility. Other vaccine technologies take much longer to develop and distribute; by the time they are ready, the infection wave often begins to fade," said Agrawal, who is presently dean of the Trivedi School of Biosciences at Ashoka University. advetisement Even with mRNA, he said, there is ongoing debate about its use, hinting towards concerns ranging from long-term safety data to accessibility. 'India is currently seeing cases of the JN.1 strain. However, with a relatively younger demographic and a lower risk of severe disease, there is doubt among experts whether updating vaccines for this specific strain is worthwhile," he said. According to Agrawal, who is also head of the Koita Centre for Digital Health at Ashoka University, many people may be silent carriers of the virus, showing no symptoms. Additionally, actual case numbers could be much higher than reported, as fewer people are opting for Covid-19 testing. Despite this, he maintains that no drastic measures are required beyond surveillance and preparedness. 'The susceptibility to severe illness remains low. For those who are highly vulnerable, such as the elderly or immunocompromised, simple precautions remain the best line of defence," said Agrawal, who is a well-known physician-scientist. 'In short, the message is clear: there's no need to panic. Covid-19, in its current form, is expected to stay mild for the majority. A calm, precautionary approach is all that is needed." About the Author Himani Chandna First Published: May 31, 2025, 07:00 IST
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Health
- Sky News AU
'Becoming the dominant strain': New sub variant of Covid-19 wreaking havoc as epidemiologist encourages vaccinations amid rising infections
A distinguished epidemiologist has issued a warning over a new strain of Covid-19 as infection rates in Australia continue to rise. Omicron strain subvariant NB.1.8.1 is spreading fast in Queensland, which has seen a sudden spike in the number of people infected with Covid-19. A report by Queensland Health said 671 people were diagnosed with the disease in the week ending May 25, which was an 18 per cent increase from the week prior. There had been 15,693 notified cases of Covid-19 in the state since the beginning of this year according to the report, meaning an average of over 100 new cases per day. There were 54 people in hospital with the disease in Queensland as of Sunday, and the health authority reported 3,388 hospitalised cases between January 1 and May 25. The strain is also the most dominant variant in wastewater samples taken in Perth, while it makes up less than 10 per cent of cases in South Australia, and more than 40 per cent in Victoria. Deakin University distinguished professor and chair in epidemiology Catherine Bennett said NB.1.81. is a sub-variant, related to the JN.1 family of variants and was first reported in January 2025. "It's quickly becoming the dominant strain in both northern and southern hemispheres and will be the variant responsible for our next wave that's on our doorstep," she told "The variant doesn't seem to cause more severe disease but it has a different combination of mutations on the spike protein that make it less recognisable to our immune system and is also better at latching onto receptors in our respiratory linings, making it more infectious. "So those two things together, better able to escape our immune response and more infectious, means will spread quickly and replace older variants." Professor Bennett said Covid vaccines will still be effective in protecting against "severe disease" as it still targets the JN.1 family of variants. She urged more vulnerable people to stay up to date with their vaccines to prevent serious illness. "People over 65 are encouraged to stay up to date with a booster each year, two if over 75, and now is the best time to have it if due as this will then have time to build protection at the start of this wave and provide some protection through the wave which usually lasts 6-8 weeks. People who are immunocompromised should also check their booster status," she said. "Because we had a quiet summer wave most other adults won't have had the same natural boosting as in previous years, so (they) might also want to consider having a booster if it's been a while since they had an infection. "(There's) a few nasty bugs around already with RSV rates in try rise and rhinovirus causing some nasty colds, so also time to be aware of our own symptoms and trying not to spread infections ourselves, whatever virus it is."
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1: Everything you need to know about the new dominant strain and how our vaccines will hold up
A new COVID-19 variant is drawing global attention due to its rapid spread worldwide. The variant — NB.1.8.1 — is set to become the dominant strain in Australia. However, because it has mutated from known variants, the nation's vaccines are still expected to offer decent protection. NB.1.8.1 is already the dominant strain in Western Australia, according to wastewater surveillance reports. 'It's taking off pretty quickly,' Deakin University Professor and Epidemiology Chair Catherine Bennett told 'It is related to variants that we've seen, it looks like two of them have kind of combined, but it has some new mutations as well.' These mutations have two key effects. First, the variant appears different enough from previous strains that our immune systems don't immediately recognize it. This means it can evade the immune defences developed through earlier infections or vaccinations, Bennett explained. Second, the mutations improve the variant's ability to bind to receptors in the mucosal linings of the human body. 'It just means if you're exposed, you're more likely to catch it,' Bennett said. 'People just need to be aware of infection where they can, and avoid spreading it where they can — if they've got symptoms, no matter what it is, it's not the time to socialise.' NB.1.8.1 is a descendant from Omicron JN.1 — the same strain targeted by current vaccines. 'It was wise that they invested in vaccines that were trailing along that JN.1 family,' Bennett told 'While the vaccine is not perfectly matched to this sub-variant, there is enough relationship with the JN.1 strain that is in the vaccine, that allows us to still have an effective vaccine.' Perfect storm for a spike in cases This winter marks Australia's fifth with COVID-19 — though the worst impacts occurred in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In recent months, Australians have relaxed their attitudes toward the virus, buoyed by a seasonal reprieve from high infection rates — a reprieve that has also lowered overall immunity. That complacency is one of several factors creating a perfect storm for a surge in cases: winter, waning immunity, immune evasion by the new variant, and its high transmissibility. 'All those things lining up together suggest that we might be in for a bigger winter wave, possibly even than we saw last year,' Bennett said. 'It could be the first time in a year that we see COVID really starting to impact people,' she said. Bennett noted that right now, 'is the first time that people in ICU with COVID-19 has dropped to the level it has.' These ICU rates are the lowest since 2021 — but they are expected to rise again this winter. 'The more we can do to help reduce spreading the virus around, then the better off we'll be,' Bennett said. At the height of the pandemic in Australia, deaths from COVID-19 were ten times higher than those from the flu. 'That's dropped, but it is still five times higher than the flu. So COVID-19 is still to be taken seriously,' Bennett said. 'Not more severe than the last' The World Health Organisation recently evaluated NB.1.8.1 as a 'low risk' variant overall. That classification reflects comparisons with previous, more severe strains, but also considers current levels of population immunity and treatment availability. 'It can still make some people very sick, but it's not more severe than the last strains we've seen,' Bennett said. 'The other thing the World Health Organisation looks at, is whether the treatments we have still work, that our testing measures still work, that all of that is still okay — and it is,' she said. 'Actually having a booster shot at the start of a wave gives you the best coverage you can have through those next six to eight weeks, which is how long a wave will take.' She urged people over 65 to review their vaccination status, and reminded adults over 18 that they remain eligible for boosters. 'It pays to think about whether you've had an infection, and whether actually a booster might not be a bad thing at this stage.'
