The new variant of Covid-19 named "JN.1" which has been spreading in numerous countries, has also been detected in Bangladesh.
The government's Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) said JN.1 was detected in samples from five people, IEDCR Director Professor Tahmina Shirin confirmed Thursday afternoon.
She said: “This strain has been detected after testing samples of patients infected with coronavirus inside and outside Dhaka."
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), new types of coronavirus infections are increasing in various countries of the world, including the neighbouring India.
A month ago, the World Health Organization informed about this new type of coronavirus. WHO has separately classified this variant as a “Variant of Interest” (VOI) because JN.1 infections are spreading rapidly.
The organization said, for now, there is evidence that this strain poses a low risk to public health. It is also no more harmful than the previous model. That is, although it spreads rapidly, its symptoms are less severe.
Meanwhile, on January 14, Health Service Division Secretary Jahangir Alam told reporters: “The government has ensured collection of 25 million doses of vaccine. In 2024 and 2025, these vaccines will be administered as a fourth dose to at-risk populations."
On Tuesday, Directorate General of the Health Services (DGHS) Director General Professor Dr ABM Khurshid Alam told reporters: “DGHS still has some vaccines for coronavirus. Pfizer's vaccine is also effective against the new coronavirus."
Earlier, DGHS recommended wearing masks as a precautionary measure amid the new outbreak of coronavirus in several countries around the world. The organization gave this suggestion in a press release on January 13.
Additionally, it advised against testing for Covid-19 until after surgery or other medical treatments if there are indications or symptoms of the condition.