Maharashtra on Sunday reported as many as 50 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total number of infections since the beginning of the spread of novel coronavirus to 81,72,135 nearly three years ago, said a daily health bulletin issued by the health department, reported the PTI.

According to the PTI, the bulletin said that of the fresh cases, nine were caused by JN.1, increasing the number of infections tied to the new sub-variant to 10.

The JN.1 patients include five from Thane city, two from Pune city, and one each from a rural pocket of Pune district, Akola city and Sindhudurg district. One patient from Pune had travelled to the US, the bulletin said, according to the PTI.

All the JN.1 patients have recovered, it said, as per the PTI.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the new strain as a separate `variant of interest` given its rapidly increasing spread but said that it poses a `low` global public health risk.

Even though the number of cases is rising and the JN.1 sub-variant has been detected in the country, there is no cause of immediate concern as 92 per cent of those infected are opting for home-based treatment, indicating mild illness, officials had said earlier.

Those suffering from cold, cough, or fever should maintain distance from other people and use masks and wash their hands with soap or use sanitiser, according to doctors.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra has so far tested 8,75,65,093 samples for Covid-19, of which 81,72,135 were found to be positive. As many as 80,23,418 patients have been discharged so far, the bulletin added.

According to the Union health ministry`s updated data on Sunday, the country saw a single-day rise of 656 Covid-19 infections while the active cases have increased to 3,742.

In May, following a sustained decline in the trajectory of coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths, and high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV2, the WHO had declared that Covid-19 no longer constituted a public health emergency of international concern.

Maharashtra minister instructs health officials to ensure the availability of ventilators, oxygen cylinders

In light of the emergence of the JN.1 Covid variant, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Bansode instructed health officials to ensure the availability of ventilators, oxygen cylinders and other necessary equipment at government hospitals, reported the PTI on Sunday.

In a meeting in Maharashtra`s Latur district on Saturday, state minister Sanjay Bansode said that the health department must take precautionary measures and ensure the availability of necessary equipment and medicines at all government-run facilities, the news agency reported.

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