Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Odisha government has advised elderly people and those with co-morbid conditions to cover up as COVID is making a comeback. The emergence of JN.1, a sub-variant of the BA 2.86 Omicron strain, has led to an increase in the number of active cases in the nation to 2,997, even though no new cases have been found in Odisha since December 3, when one person tested positive for the virus. The majority of cases are from Kerala, and the affected are often elderly people with coexisting conditions. As such, elderly people with diabetes and high blood pressure need to exercise caution. “People who are cold-sick should stay home, get tested, wear masks, and stay away from crowded areas,” Public Health Director Niranjan Mishra told the press.
Kerala accounted for 265 of the 328 coronavirus infections reported nationwide as of Friday at 8 a.m.; this brings the total number of active cases in the state to 2,606. In Kerala, one person has also passed away from the infection. The health official added that although some people have been experiencing fever, cough, and cold symptoms, the JN.1 COVID variant has not shown any signs of worsening. “In home isolation, over 98% of those afflicted have recovered. The hospitalization rate is incredibly low. There’s no need to freak out. There have been no new cases in Odisha in the previous ten days, he said.
Notably, as a preventative measure against the infection, the Karnataka government has mandated that anyone over 60, those with comorbid conditions like heart or kidney disease, and those experiencing COVID-19-like symptoms like coughing and colds wear masks in public.
