As of Saturday, the Greater Mumbai Area recorded 32 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive patients to 208, according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, Public Health Department, ANI reported. Three of the new cases were hospitalized on the same day, increasing the total number of hospitalizations to 22. Presently, 14 out of 4,215 available beds are occupied, with 148 active cases and no detection of the JN.1 variant.
According to reports, the Public Health Department reported that 18 patients recovered and were discharged on Saturday, making the total number of recoveries 60 for December. Notably, 51% of the active cases are asymptomatic, and symptomatic cases exhibit mild symptoms, recovering within a few days. No COVID-19-related deaths were reported on Saturday. A total of 570 tests were conducted, bringing the cumulative total to 4,402 tests.
Meanwhile, on the national front, India recorded 743 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, with the total active caseload increasing by seven, reaching 3,997, according to the Union Health Ministry. Seven deaths were reported in the country during this period: three in Kerala, two in Karnataka, and one each in Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu. The total count of coronavirus cases in India since the outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,12,484, reflecting an increase of 743 cases in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 55,33,358, with an increase of seven deaths in the last 24 hours.
India reported a total of 145 cases of the COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 till December 28. The JN.1 subvariant is a descendant of the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2.86 or Pirola. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, distinct from its parent lineage, BA.2.86. Despite this, the WHO emphasized that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence.
Both central and state governments are closely monitoring the new Omicron subvariant JN.1 as the New Year approaches. JN.1 is categorized as a Variant of Interest (VOI) and is under intense scientific scrutiny. As of December 16, the WHO reported 7,344 cases of the COVID-19 JN.1 subvariant from 41 countries.
In response to the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has issued guidelines for COVID-19 suspected or positive cases that will be reported at hospitals. The guidelines aim to enhance preparedness and streamline the response to the evolving situation.