Covid-19: WHO Asks Countries To step Up Surveillance, India Sees 656 Fresh Cases, Kerala Remains Highest Contributor

COVID-19 has been becoming a global health concern, with fresh outbreaks and increasing cases from across the world. Amid the rising alarm of the surge in the total cases and the latest sub-variant, the World Health Organization (WHO) on today (Sunday) urged nations to revitalise surveillance and asked the people to take protective steps. The increasing number of respiratory diseases due to the Covid 19 and its variant jN.1 is a case for concern.

Speaking about the latest Covid situation, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia said: “The Covid-19 virus continues to evolve, change, and circulate in all countries globally.  While current evidence suggests the additional public health risk posed by JN.1 is low, we must continue to track the evolution of these viruses to tailor our response. For this, countries must strengthen surveillance and sequencing, and ensure sharing of data.”

WHO had classified the new sub-variant of the covid as a variant of interest in the wake of the new variant’s rapidly spreading rate. Given the current and available details, the health risk caused by the JN.1 variant is considered to be relatively low.

“It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in COVID-19 cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season,” the regional director added.

The concern about the spike gets higher when the festive season nears and the Christmas gathering, travel and other programs pose a greater risk for the rapid transmission of the disease. The regional director also stressed the importance of taking vaccinations.

“As people travel and gather for festivities during the holiday season, spending a lot of time together indoors where poor ventilation facilitates transmission of viruses that cause respiratory diseases, they must take protective measures and seek timely clinical care when unwell,” said Dr Khetrapal Singh.

Latest from India

Amid rising cases of COVID across the world, India logged a total of 656 new cases today  (December 24), showing a slight decline from the earlier trend.  However, Kerala has remained the hotspot by reporting 128 fresh cases, and the state also had one death to the covid19, in the last 24 hours, according to data on the Union Health Ministry website on Sunday.