A 28-year-old female who just came back to Assam from Sweden was identified as having COVID-19 on December 21, which has caused worry in the state as it’s unclear if the contagion is connected to the recently discovered JN.1 subvariant of the Omicron virus.
Results from a RT-PCR test conducted at Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) verified that the woman was infected with Covid-19, according to Dr. Abhijit Sarma, the GMCH superintendent.
Dr. Sarma urged people to remain composed in the absence of any proof that the JN.1 subvariant was involved in this instance. He highlighted the substantial number of people that had already been vaccinated and recommended that those who have not to receive their vaccinations. Additionally, he emphasised the importance of following COVID-19 guidelines.
The WHO recommends that the woman stay at home and self-isolate, which is preferred by GMCH as they have the facilities to do so.
Keshab Mahanta, the Health Minister for the State, has emphasized the need for more alertness following the recent incident. While genome sequencing is an essential part of determining the various variants of COVID-19, it is not being done in Assam presently.
India saw an increase of 283 active COVID-19 cases on December 21, 2023, as the Union Health Ministry reported the total active cases to be 2,669, up from the 2,311 recorded the day before.
