15 new cases of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1 detected in Mumbai

Mumbai: As many as 15 fresh cases of new coronavirus sub-variant JN.1 have been detected in Mumbai this week so far, city civic officials said on Wednesday.

Daksha Shah, executive health officer, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), said 19 swab samples tested positive for the JN.1 sub-variant during whole genome sequencing (WGS) and four of them were out of the metropolis.

According to a BMC release, the 15 patients in Mumbai detected with the sub-variant had mild symptoms and four of them suffered from comorbidities (other health conditions) and were admitted to hospitals.

All these patients, nine men and 6 women, have recovered, said the release.

The World Health Organization has classified JN.1 as a separate 'variant of interest' (VoI) given its rapidly-increasing spread, but said it poses a 'low' global public health risk.

According to the BMC, of the 11,966 swab samples tested between December 1, 2023, and January 15, 2024, 537 came out positive for Covid-19.