New variant of Covid JN.1... Center sends letter to states

BY A STAFF REPORTER: The number of Covid-19 cases is increasing in Kerala. The health department there is worried about this. The Union Health Ministry has written to the States and Union Territories. They have been asked to monitor for influenza-like illnesses, conduct adequate testing and send all positive samples for whole genome sequencing.

Kerala's neighboring state Karnataka has ordered senior citizens to wear masks. State Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said an order would be issued in this regard. Kerala's health ministry said the variant was also detected in samples of tourists from Singapore to Tamil Nadu's Tiruchirappalli. Moreover, 15 more cases of JN.1 variant have been identified in samples from Goa, sources said.