India's active Covid-19 caseload on Friday neared the 3,000-mark while one death was reported in Kerala amid a sudden spike in cases following the detection of the first case of the sub-variant JN.1, Union Health Ministry data showed.
According to the ministry, the active cases rose to 2,997 from 2,669 the previous day. The death toll climbed to 5,33,328 with one person from Kerala succumbing to the virus. The case fatality rate was recorded at 1.18 percent.
Active cases also rose in 10 states and one Union Territory. These are -- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, and Puducherry, Health Ministry data showed.
As many as 4,44,70,887 recuperated from Covid-19 while the national recovery rate was pegged at 98.81 per cent, the Health Ministry said. So far, 220.67 crore (220,67,79,081) doses of Covid vaccine have been administered.
In Kerala, where the JN.1 was first detected, active cases rose to 2,606 after 265 more cases were reported in the past 24 hours. As many as 21 cases of the JN.1 variant had been detected across the country till Wednesday.
On Thursday, India recorded 594 fresh Covid-19 infections while the number of active cases increased to 2,669 from 2,311 the previous day, the Health Ministry said. Six people -- three from Kerala, two from Karnataka and one from Punjab -- died due to the viral disease.
The two persons have been advised to remain in home isolation, the state health department said, adding that the travelling history of both patients were found.
The first patient is a 29-year-old resident of Gardnibagh in Patna, while the second patient is a resident of Banka district.
CENTRE'S ADVISORY TO STATES
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday reviewed the preparedness of health facilities across the country and stressed being alert against emerging strains of Covid.
Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant said that even though cases are increasing, 92.8 per cent of the cases are in home isolation, indicating mild illness.
Officials said that no clustering of cases due to the JN.1 variant has been observed in India. All the cases were found to be mild and the patients recovered without any complications, they said.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a separate "variant of interest" given its rapidly increasing spread but said that it poses a "low" global public health risk.
The JN.1 variant was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sublineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the WHO said on Tuesday. However, in recent weeks, JN.1 cases continued to be reported in multiple countries and its prevalence has rapidly increased globally.
