Covid sub-variant JN.1 detected in country

Covid-19 infections with new sub-variant called JN.1 have been detected in the country, officials confirmed on Thursday.
JN.1 was detected in a sample analysis of the government's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR). The new sub-variant was found in the test samples of five Covid-19 patients.
The strain was detected after testing samples of Covid patients in and outside capital Dhaka, IEDCR director Dr Tahmina Shireen told the FE.
She, however, urged people not to panic as the sub-variant is not much severe.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) detected this new strain in December last year.
WHO classified the omicron sub-variant as 'variant of interest'. This sub-variant can spread very quickly but it has a less severity, said WHO. The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Thursday registered 18 new Covid cases, with no fresh casualties.
Total fatalities from coronavirus rose to 29,479 while number of infections rose to over 2.0 million.
Meanwhile, in a circular on Wednesday the DGHS directed the authorities concerned to restart distribution and administration of Covid-19 vaccines as the infection rate has seen a rise.
Frontline health workers, people aged 60 years and above, those aged 18 years and above, people with long-term diseases and low immunity, and pregnant women will be given shots on a priority basis, it added.

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