India reported six COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, along with 594 new cases. Health officials have stated that the majority of cases have mild symptoms and patients are recovering at home. The government has no plans to issue travel advisories or mandatory RT-PCR testing at airports. The surge in cases is believed to be caused by the JN.1 sub-variant, a descendant of the BA.2.86 or Pirola variant, which has been classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This variant has been reported in multiple countries and is rapidly increasing globally. However, the WHO has assessed the additional public health risk posed by JN.1 as low at the global level. India has reported 21 cases of the JN.1 variant, but health officials have stated that it is currently not a cause for immediate concern. The variant is currently under intense scientific scrutiny.