Indore, Dec 20 (PTI) Two persons of a family who returned to their hometown Indore from Maldives were found to be infected with coronavirus and their samples have been sent for genome sequencing to ascertain the variant, said a health official on Wednesday.
In the wake of JN.1 variant found in Kerala, the neighboring Karnataka government has made it mandatory for senior citizens to wear masks. In its preparedness measure, the state government has urged those with comorbidities, and symptoms of cough, phlegm and fever to mandatorily wear face masks.
“Considering the upcoming festive season, there is a need to put in requisite public health measures and other arrangements to minimize the risk in transmission of the disease by adherence to maintenance of respiratory hygiene," the advisory noted.
In a letter to the health secretaries of all states, the Union Ministry of Health asked the states to report and monitor district-wise SARI and ILI cases regularly.
A new sub-variant of the coronavirus, named JN.1, has been detected in a woman from Kerala, marking the first case in India. JN.1 is closely related to the BA.2.86 variant found in the US and China. It has an additional spike protein mutation, potentially making it more transmissible and capable of evading immunity.