Karnataka Records Three Deaths in One Week; Strain Yet to be Confirmed

Amid concerns over the JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in some states, Karnataka has reported three deaths in the past week. These deaths, occurring after a two-month hiatus, have all been in Bengaluru, but the specific infecting strain is yet to be established pending genome sequencing results. Among the deceased is a 76-year-old male hospitalized for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) for over three months, succumbing to aspiration pneumonia on December 17.

The other two, aged 64 and 44, with multiple comorbidities, died of Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) on December 15 and 16, respectively. Karnataka, with 92 active cases, has the second-highest active cases in the country after Kerala. Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao reassured the public, stating the state is conducting the highest number of COVID-19 tests in the country and urged people not to panic.