JN.1 Covid variant: Karnataka govt forms cabinet sub-committee to tackle spread

State health minister and other cabinet ministers included in the sub-committee

To tackle the Covid-19 and its new variant JN.1, the Karnataka government has formed a new cabinet sub-committee which will reportedly coordinate with the existing Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The new sub-committee includes various cabinet ministers.

JN.1 Covid variant: Karnataka govt forms cabinet sub-committee to tackle spread (REUTERS)

According to news agency ANI, the new sub-committee to tackle Covid-19 includes state health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, medical education minister Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa and higher education minister MC Sudhakar.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah stressed that people need not panic and that precautions need to be taken to avoid the risk of getting infected.

He said, “So far, in Karnataka, 92 cases have been detected. Out of these, 72 patients are quarantined at home. Only 20 are in hospitals, and seven of them are in the ICU. So far, three people have died not because of COVID alone, but there were other elements as well.”

A special circular has also been issued to authorities in districts bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu, instructing them to maintain vigilance, conduct sufficient testing, and report Covid-19 cases promptly.

The health department is planning to increase the number of sample tests. “We are planning on increasing testing. To do that we have to procure the testing kits since the old kits have lapsed. Since calling a tender process would take time, we have told the district health officials to procure the kits on an emergency basis and begin the testing at the earliest,” said Karnataka health minister earlier.