Seven fresh Covid-19 cases reported in Rajasthan

Jaipur, May 24 (IANS) As Covid-19 cases are once again on the rise in the country, Rajasthan has reported seven new infections in the last 48 hours.

Four of these cases have been detected at AIIMS Jodhpur, while three have been reported from Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur.

Out of the four patients who tested positive for Covid-19 in AIIMS Jodhpur, two are children and two are adults.

Similarly, two patients have been found positive for Covid-19 at the Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur and one patient at the Rabindranath Tagore Medical College in Udaipur.

Among the Covid-infected patients in Jodhpur, one child has come from Bhilwara, while the others are locals.

The children are five months, 11 and 12 years old, while one patient is a 38-year-old youth.

In response to the new cases, Deepak Maheshwari, the Sawai Man Singh Medical College Principal, has ordered genome sequencing to determine the specific variants involved.

This comes amid the spread of the new sub-variant JN.1 of Covid-19, which is contributing to rising cases across several Asian countries.

Speaking to the media at Sawai Man Singh Medical College in Jaipur on Saturday, Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar clarified that the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has not yet issued any advisory classifying the new variant as fatal.

Rajasthan Health Department Principal Secretary, Gayatri Rathore, added that a meeting of experts at the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed JN.1 as a sub-variant of Omicron.

So far, no deaths have been reported due to this variant, and there is no need for panic.

Individuals showing symptoms are advised to consult doctors and follow routine treatment protocols.

The JN.1 variant, a strain of Omicron's BA.2.86, was first detected in August 2023.

In December 2023, the World Health Organisation (WHO) designated it as a 'variant of interest'.

It carries nearly 30 mutations that can weaken the immune system.

According to Johns Hopkins University, JN.1 spreads more easily than previous variants but is not considered highly severe.

It has become one of the most prevalent strains globally.

Symptoms of the JN.1 variant can last from a few days to several weeks.

In some cases, patients may experience long Covid, where symptoms persist even after recovery.

Health officials continue to monitor the situation and urge the public to remain cautious while avoiding unnecessary alarm, officials said.

--IANS

arc/khz