JN.1 Variant Sparks New Covid Wave in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand; India Keeps Watch
India is closely monitoring the situation in the region, particularly the surge in cases in Singapore and Hong Kong, reports said, citing officials.
A new wave of Covid-19 has been reported throughout Southeast Asia, with densely populated regions such as Hong Kong, Singapore, China, and Thailand witnessing a sharp rise in cases. Health authorities in major cities like Hong Kong and Singapore are on alert, while China and Thailand have urged citizens to take booster vaccinations to curb the spread.
India is closely monitoring the situation in the region, particularly the surge in cases in Singapore and Hong Kong, news agency PTI reported, citing official sources. However, the current Covid-19 situation in India remains under control, they reportedly added.
A review meeting was held on Monday under the chairpersonship of the Director General of Health Services, bringing together experts from the National Centre for Disease Control, Emergency Medical Relief Division, Disaster Management Cell, Indian Council of Medical Research, and central government hospitals.
The Union Health Ministry continues to remain vigilant and proactive, closely tracking developments and ensuring that adequate public health measures are in place, according to the sources who spoke to PTI.
JN.1 Variant
The recent spike in Covid-19 cases is being driven by the JN.1 variant and its related descendants, which fall under the Omicron lineage. The World Health Organization has classified JN.1 as a "variant of interest," though it is not yet considered a "variant of concern."
India has also seen a marginal increase in Covid-19 cases over the past week. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there are currently 257 active cases nationwide, but no significant outbreak has been reported so far, as per NDTV report.
In China, Covid-19 positivity rates have increased significantly. Between March 31 and May 4, the positivity rate among outpatient and emergency influenza-like cases rose from 7.5% to 16.2%, while the rate among hospitalised patients increased from 3.3% to 6.3%, according to Chinadaily.com.
Hong Kong’s Center for Health Protection reported that virus activity is now “quite high,” with Covid-positive respiratory samples recently reaching a one-year high. In the week ending May 3, 31 severe cases were reported — the highest in a year, Bloomberg said.
Singapore saw Covid-19 cases jump 28% to 14,200 in the week ending May 3, with hospitalisations rising 30%. Thailand reported 33,030 new cases in the week ending May 17, up from 16,000 the week before, following mass gatherings during April’s Songkran festival.
