Maha to constitute ‘Covid-19 Task Force’ to study new threats from JN.1 sub-variant
During a press conference in Pune, the minister informed that the Covid-19 task force will be constituted next week
Amid a surge in cases in the state and reports of a new sub-variant of Covid-19 called the JN.1 strain detected in Maharashtra, Kerala and a few other parts of the country, the Maharashtra government will constitute a Covid-19 task force to study new threats emerging from the new sub-variant of the Covid virus, said health minister Tanaji Sawant.
During a press conference in Pune, the minister informed that the Covid-19 task force will be constituted next week. The task force will issue guidelines about Covid-19 management, immunisation and precautions, which will be implemented across the state for Covid management. “We are monitoring Covid-19 cases, including the JN.1 sub-variant in both private and public hospitals. A nodal officer at the district level has been appointed to report JN.1 infected Covid-19 cases daily in private and government hospitals. Fresh Covid-19 cases reported even at the taluka level will be monitored and reported twice a day,” Sawant said.
All civil surgeons and district health officers in the state have been asked to communicate daily with the taluka health officers, primary health centres, rural hospitals and sub-district hospitals to discuss issues faced while managing Covid-19 cases. The officials have been instructed to submit a daily report about the conditions of Covid-19 patients to civil surgeons and district health officers, the minister informed.
Sawant further informed that nothing can be said about the severity, transmission, complications and symptoms of the new JN.1 sub-variant. “There is only one JN.1 infected patient in the state, and we have asked for the entire case report in detail and history from the treating doctors. This report will be available on Monday and only after that can we predict the severity and other complications caused by this new sub-variant of Covid-19. Information on the source of infection, travel history of the patient, and whether the infection has been transmitted to the patient’s kin has also been sought in the report. The new sub-variant is mild symptomatic but cannot be neglected,” Sawant said.
Sawant informed that the state government had even accessed the reports of the deaths of two Covid-19 patients in Kerala, who were diagnosed with the JN.1 sub-variant of Covid. Both the patients had underlying conditions and were elderly, and Covid was not the cause of their death, the minister said. “There is no need to panic but precautions must be taken. Given the festive season, high-risk category elderly people should avoid going to crowded places and follow Covid-19 appropriate behaviour for their own safety,” he said.
The minister informed that all hospitals in the state have been directed to conduct mock drills to check Covid preparedness and to make videos of the mock drills. “Currently, we have adequate manpower, medicines, beds, ambulances and oxygen available. The decision regarding testing and implementation of restrictions will be taken as per the guidelines issued by the state government, central government, and World Health Organisation,” he said.
