It’s variant of interest, not variant of concern: Patel on routine Covid cases

Gandhinagar: In reply to media queries regarding recent COVID-19 infection cases in the State, the Gujarat government’s Spokesperson minister Rushikesh Patel who is also the Health Minister of the State, said the current variant is mild and it is a variant of interest, not a variant of concern. He said every week 4 to 7 cases of covid infections are reported but there’s no danger of death. He said 20 cases of Covid infection were reported in October this year but it’s a mild variant. He said the government has reviewed the situation and even in the video conference with the union Health minister, it is observed that just alertness and caution are required.

Speaking about the current situation of Corona in Gujarat, Spokesperson Minister Mr. Rishikesh Patel said that there is no need to panic about the JN.1 variant currently seen in the world. In cases of this variant, its mortality is found to be low. So people should not panic but be alert.

He also added that the number of cases registered in the month of December is less compared to October. At present, there are 13 active cases in the state, with not a single patient under treatment in the hospital. He further said that genome sequencing of all corona positive cases in the state is being done.

Regarding the video conference held today by the Union Health Minister Shri Mansukhbhai Mandaviya with the health ministers and health secretaries of all the states and union territories of the country, Minister Shri Rishikesh Patel said that in this video conference, the situation of Corona in the entire country was reviewed. Union Minister instructed to be vigilant regarding the cases of corona seen in some states in the country. In addition, he asked the citizens not to panic but to take precautions. He added that Union Minister Shri Mansukhbhai has also urged to ensure all the arrangements regarding Corona.

Minister Shri Rishikesh Patel added that a mock drill was organized in Gujarat from December 13 to 17 in more than 5700 government and private hospitals of the state as part of pre-covid preparedness. In which the entire arrangement, preparations, availability of buffer stock are ensured.

The Minister added that during the winter season, there is usually an increase in the cases of cold, fever, cough, etc., so as a precautionary measure, the system has been instructed to keep vigilance so that the cases of covid-19 do not increase.

According to the Union Health Ministry, Gujarat currently has 12 active cases and is among 14 states and union territories reporting at least one case as of this morning.

Two women, aged 57 and 59, who exhibited symptoms like cough and fever after a trip to Rameshwaram, tested positive for Covid and are currently under home isolation in the state capital. Samples from their eight family members have been collected and sent for testing.

State authorities report no major recent spikes in test positivity or cases. They are closely monitoring the situation in light of the global and domestic increase in a few places.

The state has experienced a diverse range of Covid sub-variants, including GJ, GZ, HH, EG, and GE, as reported by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC). The XBB lineage remains the predominant contributor to Covid cases in the state, accounting for over 90% of cases, according to experts.

Despite the natural mutation of the virus and the global spread of variants due to factors such as vaccination and herd immunity, infectious diseases specialists note that since mid-2021, there haven’t been significant societal-level implications, although cases and sporadic mortality continue to be reported. DeshGujarat