Fifteen new cases of the JN-1 variant of COVID-19 have been confirmed across Pakistan, as reported by the National Institute of Health (NIH).
The new strain has been identified as the Omicron subvirus and people infected with it have recently arrived from overseas.
COVID-19 Cases in Pakistan:
The Sindh Health Department has confirmed that two new cases of COVID-19 have been reported among passengers coming from Jeddah to Karachi.
A 28-year-old resident of Faisalabad and a 25-year-old resident of Malakand were tested at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi for the presence of symptoms of COVID-19.
So far, 17 passengers have tested positive for rapid antigen test, of which 15 have tested positive for PCR, including four reports from yesterday that were received today (Tuesday), a health department spokesperson said.
According to the Ministry of Health, a screening system has been installed at international airports for incoming and outgoing passengers to prevent the spread of the JN-1 variant.
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According to Health Minister Nadeem Jan, NIH Lab, Aga Khan University, and Dow Health University Karachi have reported eight, five, and two cases of the new COVID-19 JN-1 variant, respectively.
The Ministry of Health is actively monitoring the situation, and Nadeem Jan emphasizes the ongoing communication between the federation and the provinces to effectively deal with the emerging challenges of the novel form of COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Worryingly, the JN1 variant has been documented in more than 60 countries worldwide, raising concerns about its global spread.