21 cases of Omicron sub-variant JN.1 have been reported across the country so far. Cases of new coronavirus variant have been reported in Goa, Kerala, and Maharashtra.

Lucknow: A 17-year-old boy has been found Covid positive in Jahangirabad area of Bulandshahr district. He has been put in isolation and his family members and staff of doctor’s clinic were tested for the infection but found negative. It is not yet confirmed if the case was of JN-1 sub variant. Reportedly, the boy was suffering from constant fever and his family were getting him treated by private doctors. He tested positive after an antigen test was done on December 18. RTPCR test further confirmed Corona infection.

“The variant or sub-variant of corona can be decided only through genome sequencing which we send to designated lab only after 10 or more cases are detected,” said Dr Ramit, district surveillance officer in Bulandshahr.

Meanwhile, an elderly woman tested positive for Covid in Lucknow. “The woman had some health problem hence, got tested two days back. She is fine. None of her contacts tested positive,” said Dr Nishant Nirvan, district surveillance officer.

A Noida resident too tested positive for Covid, in a first case of the infection in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar after several months. The patient is a 54-year-old male who lives in Noida but works at a multinational company in Gurugram, Gautam Buddh Nagar Chief Medical Officer Dr Sunil Sharma said on Thursday.

District Surveillance Officer and public healthcare expert Dr Amit Kumar said the patient travelled to Nepal earlier this month and also went to work at his Gurugram office after returning.

The healthcare department, meanwhile, urged residents to follow Covid-appropriate measures amid concerns over the infection spreading once again. People should wash their hands with a soap for a minute, practice social distancing, use alcohol-based sanitisers, wear face mask when outdoors, among other measures, Kumar said.

Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio, said: “There is no need to panic due to the new sub-variant of Covid-19. Samples are being tested in the state as per the requirement. This is no new variant but a sub-variant.”

21 CASES OF JN.1 VARIANT SO FAR

India on Thursday reported a significant surge in Covid-19 cases, with 594 new infections reported within the last 24 hours, as per data from the Union Health Ministry. 21 cases of Omicron sub-variant JN.1 have been reported across the country so far. Cases of new coronavirus variant have been reported in Goa, Kerala, and Maharashtra.

The number of active cases increased to 2,669 from 2,311 the previous day, according to Union health ministry data.

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.

(With inputs from agencies)