COVID-19 sub variant JN.1 live updates: Former WHO Chief urges vigilance, precautions to mitigate risk, Kerala reports 265 fresh cases

India is witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases, with concerns rising over the JN.1 sub-variant’s emergence in Kerala. JN.1, a descendant of the BA 2.86 Omicron subvariant, exhibits heightened immune evasion due to an additional mutation (L455S) in the receptor binding domain. The World Health Organization deems JN.1 a variant of interest, posing a particular risk to the elderly and those with comorbidities, according to IMA COVID Task Force Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan. On Thursday, India reported 594 new cases, pushing active cases to 2,669. The death toll rose to 5,33,327, with six recent fatalities in Kerala, Karnataka, and Punjab.