New Covid-19 variant in Kerala: Tamil Nadu sends eight samples for testing

CHENNAI: In view of the new Covid-19 variant JN.1 and increasing caseload in Kerala and Singapore, the Tamil Nadu state government has sent Covid-19 positive samples for testing.
“Due to an increase in cases in Kerala, Tamil Nadu state government ordered an increase in RT-PCR tests wherever there are more fever cases. We have tested 264 people with fever. Of them, eight people tested positive for Covid-19,” health minister Ma Subramanian told reporters here on the sidelines of a conference.
The state had conducted more than 200 RT-PCR tests after two or three months.Kerala has 1,104 active Covid cases as on Wednesday.
He said the new variant has milder infection among the patients in Kerala and Singapore. “The patients have throat pain, cough and cold for three to four days and recover,” he said.
“For the last six or seven months, the Covid-19 cases have been in single digits in the state. So, no need to panic,” he said, adding that two people in Chennai tested positive and they were having cold and cough as symptoms.
The Tamil Nadu government has 331 RT-PCR testing centres of which 78 are government testing centres.