COVID-19 Cases Rise In India, Health Protocols Tightened Again

JAKARTA - India has again recorded a surge in active cases of COVID-19, following an increasing trend of infections in Asian countries such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand. To date, there have been 257 active cases reported in India, with parts of Kerala, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. This is the region that has experienced the most significant spike in recent weeks.

Health experts attribute this spike to the emergence of a new Omicron subvariant, namely JN.1 and its derivatives such as LF.7 and NB.1.8. Although the symptoms are relatively mild, the transmission of this variant is said to be very fast.

"Currently, we are seeing an increase in cases associated with JN.1, a subvariant of Omicron. Symptoms are usually mild, such as fever, runny nose, cough, and loss of smell or taste, but this variant is highly contagious," explained Dr. Sharad Joshi, Director and Head of the Department of Pulmonology and Child Pulmonology at Max Healthcare, quoted from the NDTV page.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the JN.1 variant was first detected in September 2023 and is a derivative of the BA.2.86 variant. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated JN.1 as a variant that needs to be monitored.

Symptoms of this variant include fever, sore throat, runny nose, headache, and muscle weakness. However, JN.1 also shows distinctive symptoms that rarely appear in other variants, such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, prolonged nausea, and extreme fatigue.

Although there has not been a surge in hospitalization rates in India, experts remind the public not to be careless.

"There's no need to panic, but we have to stay alert. There have been several reports of death, so it can't be taken lightly," said Dr. Joshi.

Dr. Sushila Kataria, Senior Director of Internal Medicine in Medanta, Gurugram, added that people of all ages can be infected, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with comorbid diseases.

"Although hospitals in India have not seen a significant increase in hospitalizations, what is happening in other countries should be a warning to all of us. Alert is key," he said.

As a precautionary measure, experts again urge the public to wear masks in public places, maintain distance, and postpone non-urgent activities.

"It is important to re-implement the habit of maintaining breathing hygiene. Use a mask, cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and avoid crowds if you don't need to," suggested Dr. Joshi.

Doctors also called for the government to increase supervision and reactivate COVID-19 tests, especially for patients with symptoms of respiratory tract infection.