The number of COVID-19 cases is likely to rise this winter as the virus adapts easily to seasonal conditions and is active in cold temperatures. Moreover, people contract cold and cough along with runny nose and sneezing during winter, allowing the virus to easily spread from one person to another.
Medical experts also acknowledge the possibility of a spike in other respiratory-related cases during winter.
Principal of Andhra Medical College (AMC) Dr. Butchi Raju said people should follow the general guidelines for COVID-19 and take proper precautions such as wearing masks and keeping their distance when encountering someone with unknown health conditions.
Positive cases
Out of the 24 samples tested in a laboratory authorised by AMC in Visakhapatnam, four returned positive on Saturday. Dr. Raju said one case each has been reported from the medical colleges of Kakinada and Guntur, taking the total number of cases in the State as of 6 p.m. on Saturday to six.
“As per our latest guidelines, we will increase the number of tests to 50 per day. We are also sending positive samples for genome sequencing,” he told The Hindu.
Mutation of JN.1
Director of Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) Dr. K. Rambabu explained that JN.1 is a new sub-variant of Omicron, which had evolved into versions such as BA 2.86 and XBB 1.5. BA 2.86, however, was a highly mutated (over 30 mutations) variant of XBB 1.5 version.
“Now, JN.1 also has a mutation and the version is called L455S. It has higher transmissibility than BA 2.86. This mutation confers [on L455S] a transmission advantage over JN.1 in addition to immune evasion ability. Symptoms are similar to the previous variants, except for more gastrointestinal symptoms and less pronounced fever. We need go for virological tests from INSACOG laboratories,” Dr. Rambabu told The Hindu.
On the treatment for the new variant, Dr. Rambabu said drugs such as Paxlovid (an antiviral therapy packaged together with two different drugs) available for COVID-19 are likely to work against the JN.1 variant as well. However, monoclonal antibodies (laboratory-made molecules that act as substitute antibodies) do not help. “Available COVID-19 vaccines are unlikely to serve as boosters against JN.1,” concluded Dr. Rambabu.
