Health Dept monitors cases of influenza, seasonal flu as Covid resurfaces in country

With Covid cases resurfacing, the District Health Department has started monitoring cases of influenza and seasonal flu more minutely and enhanced the sample taking activity in the district. Four cases of Covid have reported in Haryana’s Faridabad and Gurugram, which has further left the department on its toes.

Currently, the country has over 250 active Covid-19 cases, with Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu reporting the maximum cases.

District Epidemologist Sheetal Narang said they were monitoring the situation with increased vigilance now.

“No case has been reported in the district so far. Testing for Covid was never stopped but now, the intensity has been increased. On an average, 500 samples are tested every month. In April, 680 samples were tested. Cases even with slightest symptoms are sent for testing and those with travel history are the first ones to get checked,” she said.

Dr Narang further said people need to be cautious and get themselves tested if they observe any symptoms.

People’s immunity is now decreasing naturally and the rise in cases is also influenced by reduced protection from prior infections or vaccinations, increased social mixing and relaxed preventive behaviour. Seasonal effects may also play a role in amplifying transmission during certain periods.

The variant

The JN.1 variant is not entirely new, it is a sub-lineage of the omicron variant that has been circulating globally for some time and is believed to be the driver behind this surge in Covid-19 cases across Asia.

Variant of ‘interest’

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN.1 as a “variant of interest” due to its rapid transmission, though it has not been labelled a “variant of concern," at least for now. Its descendants, LF.7 and NB.1.8, are now under global observation.

Ludhiana