A total of 157 cases of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been identified in India, with Kerala reporting the highest count of 78, followed by Gujarat with 34, according to the latest data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) as of Thursday.
Nine states and Union territories in India have reported the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant, namely Kerala (78), Gujarat (34), Goa (18), Karnataka (eight), Maharashtra (seven), Rajasthan (five), Tamil Nadu (four), Telangana (two), and Delhi (one), based on INSACOG’s findings.
In December, INSACOG recorded 141 Covid cases in India with the presence of JN.1, while 16 such cases were detected in November.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated JN.1 as a “variant of interest” due to its rapidly increasing spread, though it is considered to pose a “low” global public health risk.
Previously categorized as part of the BA.2.86 sub-lineages under a variant of interest (VOI), JN.1 has gained independent recognition by WHO as its cases continue to rise globally.
In response to the surge in Covid cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant, the central government has urged states and Union territories to maintain heightened vigilance.
