Director of Public Health Assures Public Amidst Omicron Surge

The Director of Public Health (DPH) and Preventive Medicine, T. S. Selvavinayagam, has addressed concerns about a potential surge in COVID-19 cases, stating that while an increase is likely in the coming weeks, there is no reason for panic. He emphasized that the latest variant, JN.1, a sublineage of Omicron, is causing mild symptoms, and 80% of samples sent for whole genome sequencing tested positive for the XBB variant.

Dr. Selvavinayagam reassured the public that the current trend shows mild symptoms, and the state has been exposed to Omicron and its variants. He noted the continuous evolution of variants over the last three years and highlighted that vaccination or previous infection with JN.1 may offer protection from severe forms of the disease, even with potential immune evasion.

The testing strategy includes prioritizing severe cases, influenza-like illness, and contacts of positive cases. Despite the reassurances, Tamil Nadu reported its first COVID-19-related death in five months, involving a 55-year-old woman with multiple co-morbidities.