Sri Lanka watchful for Covid JN.1 variant says health minister
COLOMBO– Sri Lanka’s health ministry is closely monitoring the Covid threat after the emergence of the new variant JN.1 reported from India, Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana said on Tuesday (2).
India has recorded over 160 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1, with the highest number of infections reported from Kerala, according to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium’s (INSACOG) data released on Friday (Dec 29).
According to India media, JN.1 cases have been also reported from Gujarat, Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Capital New Delhi.
Addressing a media briefing on Tuesday, Pathirana, acknowledged that there were ongoing discussions about the new JN.1 Covid strain reported from India, abs reassured the public that, as currently reported by the World Health Organization, there was no undue cause for concern.
“Continuous monitoring is being carried out and with the support of the Medical
Research Institute, extensive sample tests have been initiated. To date, no patients with the new Covid variant have been identified,” he said but advised the public to adhere to the health practices followed during the last pandemic season.
The re-emergence of Covid comes when Sri Lanka’s tourism is at its peak season with the arrival of a large number of Indians.
“We don’t screen tourists because the new strain is not reported in Sri Lanka as yet and because we don’t want to initiate unnecessary and unwanted restrictive measures,” Pathirana said, noting that the highest number of tourist arrivals were from India at present.
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