JN.1 variant in India: Practo, a digital healthcare platform, revealed that it witnessed a staggering ten times increase in Covid consultations, with a notable spike observed in the last two weeks of December 2023.
According to the data shared by Practo, a significant 53 percent of consultations came from Bangalore, Delhi reported 15 percent, Hyderabad reported 14 percent, Chennai reported 7 percent, Mumbai saw 5 percent, Pune 4 percent and rest of India reported 4 percent.
“The recent surge in COVID consultations, highlighted by Practo’s insights, emphasizes the changing nature of this pandemic. The increase in cases, tied to symptoms of the new variant, stresses the importance of strict safety measures, especially during the holiday season. The significant tenfold rise in tele-consultations over the past weeks shows that more people are seeking timely medical advice as cases escalate. With Bangalore, Delhi, and other cities contributing notably, it points to the urgent need for accessible healthcare services in urban areas,” Dr. Manoj A G, Consultant Physician, consults on Practo told Financial Express.com.
This increase in tele-consultations not only showcases the efficiency of remote healthcare but also demonstrates a proactive approach in addressing symptoms while minimizing exposure risks, Dr. Manoj revealed.
It reinforces the crucial role of telemedicine in maintaining continuous care during surges, emphasizing the ongoing necessity for remote healthcare services to navigate these challenging times effectively, he said.
Additionally, the rise of tele-consultations has sparked innovations in digital health technologies, improving patient-doctor interactions and enabling personalized care solutions, he added.
“This shift signifies a fundamental change in healthcare delivery, using technology to create a more resilient and patient-centered system, bridging the gap between patients and healthcare providers,” he told Financial Express.com.
India on Monday reported 605 new COVID-19 cases. According to the Health Ministry, the number of active cases of the COVID-19 infection stood at 4,002. Meanwhile, the number of cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 reported from 12 states till January 7 rose to 682.
In the last 24 hours, four deaths — two from Kerala and one each from Karnataka and Tripura — have been reported, according to the ministry’s data updated at 8 am.
According to a report by news agency PTI, 199 cases have been reported from Karnataka, 148 from Kerala, 139 from Maharashtra, 47 from Goa, 36 from Gujarat, 30 from Andhra Pradesh, 30 from Rajasthan, 26 from Tamil Nadu, 21 from Delhi, three from Odisha, two from Telangana and one from Haryana.
The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits till December 5, 2023 but cases began to increase after the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.
After December 5, 841 new cases were reported on December 31, 2023 which was 0.2 per cent of the peak cases reported in May 2021, official sources said as quoted by news agency PTI. Of the total active cases, a large majority of these (around 92 per cent) are recovering under home isolation.
“The currently available data suggests that the JN.1 variant is neither leading to an exponential rise in the new cases nor a surge in hospitalisation and mortality,” the sources stated as quoted by PTI.
In the past, India has witnessed three waves of COVID-19 with the peak incidence of daily new cases and deaths being reported during the Delta wave during April-June 2021. At its peak, 414,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths were reported on May 7, 2021.
Since the pandemic began in early 2020, more than 4.5 crore people have got infected and over 5.3 lakh deaths have died in about four years since then across the country. The number of people who have recuperated from the disease stands at over 4.4 crore with a national recovery rate of 98.81 per cent, according to the ministry’s website.
According to the ministry website, 220.67 crore doses of Covid vaccines have so far been administered in the country. Moreover, 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.
States have been urged to ensure effective compliance with the detailed operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Moreover, they have asked to monitor and report district-wise cases of influenza-like illness and severe acute respiratory illness in all health facilities regularly for early detection of rising trend of cases.
The WHO has classified JN.1 as a separate “variant of interest” given its rapidly increasing spread but said it poses a “low” global public health risk. The JN.1 sub-variant of the coronavirus was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sub-lineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said.
