COVID-19: India logs 1,226 cases of JN.1 variant, highest from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh

The Centre has asked the states and Union Territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in the number of Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country.

The states have been urged to ensure effective compliance with the detailed operational guidelines for the revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared with them by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The states have also been asked to regularly monitor and report district-wise cases of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) from all health facilities for early detection of a rising trend of Covid cases.

The World Health Organisation has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" (VOI) given its rapidly increasing spread but said it poses "low" global public health risk.

The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a VOI as part of the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said.