The ministry has said that the existing treatment line for COVID-19 is expected to be effective against JN.1 infection and updated vaccines are expected to increase protection against the new variant.
COVID-19 Update: There are currently no plans to make RT-PCR testing for Covid-19 mandatory at Airports for travellers in the country, the Union Health Ministry informed Thursday amid an uptick in Coronavirus infections in India.
Citing Health Ministry sources, news agency ANI reported there are no plans yet to make COVID-19 testing mandatory at airports across the country. “Currently there is no plan so far to make RT-PCR testing for Covid mandatory at airports,” the report said, quoting an official source at the health ministry.
India had issued revised guidelines dropping the requirement for RT-PCR-based testing of a random 2 percent of travellers entering India in the month of July.
According to official sources, India reported 21 total cases of COVID-19 JN.1 sub-variant and there is no increase in hospitalisation rates.
There is also no increase in hospitalisation cases and COVID-19 is an incidental finding in people hospitalised due to other medical conditions.
“The hospitalised cases are due to other medical conditions and COVID-19 is an incidental finding,” the sources said, according to the ANI report.
594 new cases today, 22 dead in two weeks
On Thursday, 594 fresh COVID-19 infections were recorded in the country while the number of active cases increased to 2,669 from 2,311 the previous day, according to Union health ministry data.
In the last two weeks, 22 people have died due to COVID-19 in India, the data revealed.
The death toll has climbed to 5,33,327 with six more people — three from Kerala, two from Karnataka and one from Punjab — succumbing to the viral disease, the data updated at 8 am stated.
As many as 21 cases of the JN.1 variant had been detected across the country till Wednesday.
NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul on Wednesday said that the scientific community in India is closely investigating the new variant as he emphasised the need for states to ramp up testing and strengthen surveillance systems.
No evidence of increased risk from JN.1 variant
In view of the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the detection of the first case of the JN.1 variant in the country, the Centre has urged states and union territories to maintain constant vigil.
In a letter to states and union territories, Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant on Monday underlined the critical COVID-19 control and management strategies considering the upcoming festive season and advised them to put in place requisite public health measures to minimise the risk of increase in transmission of the disease.
States have been urged to ensure effective compliance of the detailed operational guidelines for revised surveillance strategy for COVID-19 shared by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
They have asked to monitor and report district-wise cases of Influenza-like Illness (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) in all health facilities regularly for early detection of rising trend of cases.
It is not currently known whether the JN.1 infection produces symptoms different from other variants, the ministry had said. In general, symptoms of COVID-19 tend to be similar across variants, it said, adding that there is also no indication of increased severity from JN.1
At this time, there is no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health compared to other currently circulating variants, according to the ministry.
The existing treatment line for COVID-19 is expected to be effective against JN.1 infection and updated vaccines are expected to increase protection against the variant, the ministry had said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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