Maharashtra: No need to panic over Covid-19, say Health Experts

Despite the spate of fresh COVID19 cases mdash 33 new infections reported in the last 24 hours in Maharashtra including 22 cases in Mumbai mdash health experts are urging the public to remain calm but vigilant Speaking to midday experts actively involved in managing the first two waves of the pandemic emphasised the importance of adhering to COVIDappropriate behaviourWhile there is no cause for alarm yet health experts stress the need for preventive measures such as wearing masks in crowded places maintaining hand hygiene etcRise in numbersHealth officials informed midday that in the last 24 hours 33 fresh cases of COVID19 were reported across Maharashtra of which 22 cases were reported in Mumbai followed by five in Pune and two in Pimpri Chinchwad areas thereby taking the total number of positive cases to 145Health experts have advised to wear masks in crowded places Representation piciStockDr Santosh Kadam president of the Indian Medical Association IMA Maharashtra state said ldquoIndia has a dense population and many people got infected and recovered during the second SARSCoV2 wave in 2021 The population already has some level of herd immunity also a large number of people have been vaccinated Even though the numbers may increase due to seasonal variations the situation may not be alarming but COVIDappropriate behaviour needs to be followedrdquoThe Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has documented 257 active cases including 53 from Maharashtra in the past week at present 145 cases in Maharashtra other than the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu which have seen an uptick in cases Other states including Karnataka and Gujarat are also reporting new infectionsThe surge is attributed to the JN1 sub variant of Omicron and its offshoots LF7 and NB18 This variant is reportedly spreading across Asia with countries like China Singapore Hong Kong and Thailand witnessing a significant uptick in the cases Singapore leads in new JN1 cases with 14200 infections in the first week of May aloneThese sub variants have persisted since 2023 despite global vaccination efforts that saw 80 per cent of the world population receive two doses and booster shots administered to vulnerable groups such as the elderly immunocompromised adults and adolescents aged 12ndash18 yearsldquoCurrently JN1 cases in Asia are present with mostly mild symptoms mdash fever cough cold and loss of taste or smell mdash responding well to oral antivirals over 57 daysrdquo said Dr Subhash Hira Professor of Global Health at the University of Washington and World Health Organisation WHO pandemic preparedness panel memberHighly contagiousHowever Dr Hira warned that the JN1 remains highly contagious even in the summer and has shown some unique symptoms like persistent nausea extreme fatigue neurologic issues and loss of appetiteDetected first in the US in September 2023 JN1 is a sub variant of BA286 and is classified by WHO as a lsquosub variant of interestrsquo Dr Hira noted a few deaths in Maharashtra among vulnerable hospitalised patients and urged the public to remain cautious ldquoWe must use masks in crowded places practice social distancing and maintain hand hygienerdquo he said recalling the devastating toll of the Delta waveDr Hira also emphasised the importance of strengthening surveillance and resuming COVID19 testing in hospitals especially in cases of fever and respiratory symptoms Currently India has no updated booster shot guidelinesDr Wiqar Shaikh former professor of Medicine Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Group of Hospitals confirmed rising COVID19 activity in Hong Kong and Singapore describing it as the beginning of a new wave across AsiaHe noted a 28 per cent rise in cases and a 30 per cent rise in hospitalisation in Singapore along with 31 severe cases in Hong Kong in early May China and Thailand have also reported increased positivity rates and outbreaks though no new variants have emergedDr Shaikh reassured that most cases are mild but emphasised continued mask usage in crowded areas and recommended RTPCR testing for SARSCoV2 to anyone showing symptoms53No of COVID19 cases reported in past week in statePlease1 Greet without physical contact2 Maintain physical distance wherever possible3 Wear a mask at all times4 Avoid touching eyes nose mouth before washing hands5 Wash hands frequently and thoroughlyCOVIDappropriate behavior Greet without physical contact Maintain physical distance wherever possible Wear a mask at all times Avoid touching eyes nose mouth before washing hands Wash hands frequently and thoroughly Regularly clean frequently used spaces Avoid unnecessary travel Donrsquot spread misinformation and seek information about COVID from official trusted sourcesatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params