Covid-19 Updates: India Logs 609 New Cases, Three Deaths; Active Cases Decline To 3,368

India recorded 609 new cases of COVID-19, with the number of active cases decreasing to 3,368, as per the latest update from the health ministry on Friday. In the past 24 hours, three deaths were reported, two in Kerala and one in Karnataka.

Of the total active cases, approximately 92 per cent are under home isolation, indicating a shift toward milder cases. The officials note that the JN.1 variant, currently prevalent, is not causing an exponential rise in new cases, hospitalisations, or mortality.

India has experienced three waves of COVID-19, with the Delta wave reaching its peak in April-June 2021, reporting 4,14,188 new cases and 3,915 deaths on May 7, 2021. Since the pandemic's onset in early 2020, over 4.5 crore people have been infected, resulting in over 5.3 lakh deaths across the country.

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Daily cases had previously dropped to double digits until December 5, 2023. However, a surge occurred following the emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions. On December 31, 2023, 841 new cases were reported, constituting 0.2 percent of the peak cases reported in May 2021.

Covid-19 JN.1 Variant

The JN.1 sub-variant of COVID-19 has now reached 15 states and Union territories in India, with a total of 923 reported cases, according to data from the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) on Thursday. Karnataka leads in the number of cases with 214, followed by Maharashtra (170), Kerala (154), Andhra Pradesh (105), Gujarat (76), and Goa (66).

Telangana and Rajasthan each recorded 32 JN.1 cases, Chhattisgarh reported 25, Tamil Nadu 22, Delhi 16, Haryana five, Odisha three, West Bengal two, and Uttarakhand one. Despite the rising cases and the presence of the JN.1 sub-variant, officials have stated that there is no immediate cause for concern, as the majority of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness.

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The Centre has issued advisories to states and Union territories, urging them to maintain constant vigilance in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases and the detection of the JN.1 sub-variant in the country.