The Central government has issued an advisory to the states after the detection of the first JN.1 variant in India, asking them to “maintain constant vigil”.

The advisory, by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said: “As you must be aware, the World Health Organization in May this year, owing to sustained decline in trajectory of COVID-19 and significant achievements gained over couple of years in achieving widespread Immunization coverage, withdrew the PHEIC status of Covid-19 pandemic. In India as well, due to consistent and collaborative actions between Centre and State Governments, we have been able to sustain the trajectory at sustainable low rates. However, as the Covid-19 virus continues to circulate and its epidemiology behaviour gets settled with Indian weather conditions and circulation of other usual pathogens, it is of utmost importance that we maintain a state of constant vigil over the COVID situation, right up to the District levels.”

It added that in the upcoming festive season, there is a need to put in place essential public health measures as well as other arrangements in order to minimise the risk of an increase in transmission of Covid by adherence to the maintenance of respiratory hygiene.

The advisory asked the states to ensure effective compliance of the detailed and revised operational guidelines for the Covid-19 surveillance strategy.

It said: “Ensure monitoring and reporting of District-wise Influenza-like Illness (ILI) & Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in all health facilities on a regular basis including in the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal, for detecting the early rising trend of cases.”

The states were also asked to ensure that adequate testing takes place in all the districts as per the official testing guidelines and maintain the suggested share of RT-PCR and Antigen tests.

They would also have to ensure that a higher number of RT-PCR tests take place and would be required to send the positive samples to Indian SARS COV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) laboratories for genome sequencing in order to timely detect new variants in the country, if any.

The advisory said: “Ensure active participation of all public and private health facilities too in the drill being conducted by this Ministry, to take stock of their preparedness and response capacities. Promote community awareness to seek their continued support in managing Covid-19, including adherence to respiratory hygiene.”

The advisory also stated that the first case of The JN.1 (BA.2.86.1.1) was also detected in India.

The first case JN.1 was detected in a sample that tested positive through RT-PCR in Karakulam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on December 8, 2023. The first JN.1 case was detected in a 79-year-old woman with mild symptoms

As per the information provided by the Ministry, JN.1 was detected in late 2023 and is a descendant of the BA.2.86 lineage of SARS CoV2. JN.1 carries the S:L455S mutation and three mutations in non-S proteins of SARS-CoV-2. The S:L45SF mutation may enhance transmissibility and immune evasion. Currently, the WHO designates JN.1 as a variant of interest (VOI).

“JN.1 variant has been reported in the USA, China, Singapore, India. JN. 1 constitutes a modest yet notable percentage, projected to potentially encompass. 15-29% of circulating variants within the United States.”