Assam health minister on Covid situation: No reason to be anxious

Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta on Saturday asserted that there was no reason to be anxious about the COVID-19 situation in the state as no person without any travel history has tested positive for the coronavirus for a long time. 

He allayed fears about the new sub-variant JN.1, stating that experts have claimed that it is a weak strain of the virus and human bodies have developed immunity to fight it. 

"The Union Health Minister had recently reviewed the COVID-19 situation with all the states. Some states like Kerala have been put on alert as new cases are being detected there. We are doing tests in Assam also, but no person without any travel history has tested positive for the coronavirus," Mahanta told reporters. 

However, a person who has returned from Switzerland has tested positive for COVID-19, and the patient is currently under treatment in home isolation. The minister said the state is prepared to tackle any situation and all necessary facilities, including isolation beds and doctors, are ready. 

He said COVID-19 tests are no longer mandatory in the state, though patients who exhibit likely symptoms are tested for the coronavirus. Mahanta also pacified apprehensions about the new sub-variant JN.1 and said not a single case of the strain has been detected in the state. 

"Experts have said that it is a weak sub-variant. Also, our bodies are likely to have developed the immunity to fight it," he added. "Though no new SOP has been issued for our state, we are keeping a close watch on the situation," the minister added.