What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
NEW DELHI: Noida registered its first case of coronavirus when a 44-year-old individual returning from Nepal tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday. Given the recent surge in Covid-19 cases across India, his sample has been forwarded for genome sequencing.
According to Dr Sunil Sharma, the Chief Medical Officer of Gautam Buddh Nagar, the patient resides in Noida Sector 36 but is employed at a multinational company in Gurugram. “His test sample has been dispatched to Delhi for genome sequencing, and we are awaiting the results,” Dr Sharma told the media.
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Dr Amit Kumar, a District Surveillance Officer and healthcare expert, mentioned that the patient had recently travelled to Nepal and resumed work in Gurugram after returning. “The patient is asymptomatic and voluntarily opted for a COVID-19 test,” Kumar added, noting that this is the sole confirmed case in Gautam Buddh Nagar thus far. CMO Sharma highlighted a reduction in virus testing within the district this year.
He also specified that individuals can get themselves tested for COVID-19 at primary and community health centres as well as the district hospital. India recorded 21 instances of the JN.1 Covid variant on Thursday, contributing to 594 fresh COVID-19 infections and raising the count of active cases to 2,669 from the previous day’s 2,311.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classified JN.1 as a variant of interest distinct from its parent lineage BA.2.86. However, WHO asserted that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on existing evidence. In response to the escalating Covid cases, all states and Union Territories (UTs) have been advised to send samples of Covid positive cases to Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) labs for monitoring new variants. Media reported that while a new wave of coronavirus is unlikely, cases might increase. RT-PCR tests for travellers at airports are improbable, with a focus on targeted testing instead.
