Key Points
The Union government has directed states to send samples of all positive Covid-19 test swabs for whole genome sequencing, people aware of the matter said on Friday, attributing the step to attempts to step up vigil for any concerning variant of the Sars-CoV-2.I)..
Read here: JN.1 Covid variant: Karnataka govt forms cabinet sub-committee to tackle spread ..
The directive comes in a week when the outbreak of JN.1 variant in some states triggered concern that it could spark wider outbreaks, but officials have not yet seen any increase in reports of severe disease or in the rate of hospital admissions..
The affected states that have shown a slight increase in cases in India include Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, Puducherry, Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab, and Delhi..
According to WHO, at this time, there is no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health relative to other currently circulating variants..
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