The first death case due to COVID-19 has been reported in Karnataka. According to media reports, Bengaluru registered the first case of death due to COVID-19 on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. The cases of COVID-19 JN. 1 variant have been on the rise in the southern states of the country.
The latest reports say that the person, who succumbed to corona complications was a resident of Chamrajpet in Bengaluru. Media reports said that the person who died in Bengaluru was suffering from co-morbidity. While this is the first case in Karnataka, Kerala registered three deaths on December 19. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reported that the number of active cases in the state is 2,041.
Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, while interacting with the media, said that there is no need to panic as a discussion with the Union Health Minister has been held. Rao also mentioned that they have been asked to continue preparations with increased testing and monitoring.
While there are no guidelines or restrictions on activities and gatherings, it has been advised to take precautionary measures while in public, wearing masks is one of them.
The Centre issued an advisory regarding the upsurge of COVID cases on Monday, December 18, 2023. States in India have been urged to follow the detailed operational guidelines for the revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 which was provided by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
It was also advised to ensure testing in all districts and to maintain the recommended balance of RT-PCR and antigen tests. As the cases of COVID-19 JN. 1 sub-variant rise drastically in numbers, the World Health Organization has also classified the variant as a ‘variant of interest’ as it is separate from Pirola sub-lineages.
