NEW DELHI, India – In the past 24 hours, India has reported 756 new cases and five deaths from COVID-19, according to the Union Health Ministry. The states of Maharashtra, Kerala, and Jammu & Kashmir reported the latest fatalities, with the total number of active cases decreasing to 4,049.
Since the start of the pandemic in January 2020, India has recorded a cumulative total of 4,50,18,134 confirmed cases and 5,33,392 deaths. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) has identified a new subvariant, JN.1, a descendant of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.86, which has surfaced in multiple states, including Kerala, Karnataka, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Telangana, Odisha, and Haryana.
Although cases of the JN.1 variant have been reported, data suggests that it is not significantly contributing to new cases, hospitalizations, or deaths. The affected states collectively reported 619 cases of the subvariant, with Karnataka leading at 199 cases and Kerala at 148 cases.
INSACOG’s data indicates the identification of 239 COVID-19 cases with the JN.1 variant in December 2023 and 24 cases in November 2023. The overall recovery rate in India stands at 98.81%, with over 4.4 crore individuals having recovered from COVID-19.
India has administered a total of 2,20,67,79,081 COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to available data. With the onset of winter and an escalation in the cold wave, health experts are drawing attention to a sudden increase in viral infections, influenza, and COVID-19 cases.
Due to the falling temperature and resulting fog, along with pollution forming smog, there is concern about an increase in different types of infections, with many people experiencing difficulty in breathing, according to Dr. Modi, a senior pulmonologist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.
In conclusion, India has reported 756 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of active cases to 4,049. The country has administered a total of 2,20,67,79,081 COVID-19 vaccine doses and is closely monitoring the emergence of the new JN.1 subvariant of the Omicron variant. The overall recovery rate in India stands at 98.81%. Health experts are also drawing attention to an increase in viral infections, influenza, and COVID-19 cases with the onset of winter.