New variant poses no additional risks: Health Ministry

The government has urged people not to panic about the new variant of the coronavirus identified in India. Health authorities in Nepal say they are closely monitoring the development in India.

India has been seeing a rise in the number of Covid-19 sub-variant JN.1. As per media reports, 614 new Covid cases have been detected in India as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, three people infected with the new variant have died in Kerala, per the reports.

Nepal however hasn’t seen a rise in the number of coronavirus cases as per the Ministry of Health and Population.

The World Health Organisation has designated the new variant as a “variant of interest” separate from its ancestor BA.2.86 that is commonly referred to as Pirola.

WHO maintained that there was no evidence to suggest that the new variant poses additional public health risks.

JN.1 is a closely-related descendant of BA.2.86, a highly mutated strain that first worried scientists over the summer. BA.2.86 was deemed a “variant of interest” by the WHO back in August.

The WHO defines variants of interest as strains that are worrying enough to trigger stepped up investigations of the variant by countries, like laboratory studies and field investigations of its outbreaks.

“Many people in Nepal have had the infection and people have received at least two doses of the vaccine. Therefore, the probability of severe disease is low,” said Dr Prakash Budhathoki, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population.

Problems related to the respiratory system are currently increasing in India and China.

“Intensive care units, oxygen plants, and other physical infrastructure constructed during the Covid-19 pandemic can be utilized if needed,” Dr Budhathoki added.  

Health desks established at checkpoints and international airports have been placed on standby, and a request has been made to place patients with respiratory problems under special supervision.

“As the infection is seen in Kerala, we are relatively at lower risks. If the infection was seen in the southern areas of India that borders Nepal it would have been quite risky as there are high chances for the variant to enter the country in a shorter time span,” Dr Budhathoki said.  

The spokesperson also informed that patients with long-standing respiratory problems have been recommended for gene sequencing.

The ministry has requested health centers to keep a check on the people visiting the hospitals with the symptoms of coronavirus and has asked them to submit a report to the ministry.