Indore (Madhya Pradesh): At the time when January is missing the usual ‘chill’, the deadly Covid-19 has been spreading its tentacles gradually in the city as 36 new cases were found positive in the city in the last one month. Moreover, the detection of JN.1 sub variant of Omicron in one of the patient’s samples, who returned from Maldives, has sent the health officials on an alert mode. However, the trend of infected patients’ remains the same as in the second wave and third wave i.e. over 74 per cent of the patients falls under working population (20-60 years of age) When it comes to percentage, around 41 per cent of total infected patients fall under the age of 21-40 years.

While, 33 per cent are between 41 and 60 years of age.Only eight of the patients are of 61-80 years of age. According to health department officials, over 400 samples were tested in the last one month out of which 36 samples were found positive. The health department records suggest that the number of men is more in terms of infected patients i.e. 51 per cent.

Integrated Diseases Surveillance Programme’s nodal officer Dr Amit Malakar said, ‘Yes, people of age 21-40 are more infected as compared to those of other age groups. The trend is the same as the second and third wave but unlike the first wave. It may have various reasons including more exposure to the people of this age.’ He said that the number of cases is increasing gradually but only few of them needs hospitalisation. ‘People should keep vigil and must avoid visiting crowded places if they have cough, cold and fever,’ he said.

No need to panic

“Covid has become a part of our life. The disease is now at endemic stage and there is no need to panic with any particular strain as it only causes mild illness. However, the elderly, obese and those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, cancer and others must avoid crowded places and use masks.’ Dr Sanjay Dixit Dean of MGM Medical College

41 per cent patients under 21-40 years

Age Total

0-20 1

21-40 15

41-60 12

61-80 8

80+ 0

Total 36

10 had travel history, four came in contact with a positive patient As per record of the health department, 10 of the positive patients have any kind of travel history including international and domestic. Two of the patients returned from Maldives, one from Thailand and one from Dubai. Rest of the patients had visited different cities in the country mainly during the period of New Year. Dr Mishra said that five of the total patients had come in contact with the positive patient and got infected.

WSG: 35 sample reports pending

As per directions of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the health department is sending samples of all positive cases for whole genome sequencing to AIIMS, Bhopal. ‘Out of all the samples sent, we received only one report of a 33-year-old woman. The prevalent JN.1 sub-variant of the virus was found in her samples. Rest of the reports are pending,’ district epidemiologist Dr Anshul Mishra said. She added that they cannot comment on a single prevalent variant in the city and are waiting for reports of the same.