Former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, to the relief of many, informed that people need not panic about the new variant of COVID, JN.1. “We need to be cautious, but we don`t need to worry because we don`t have any data to suggest that this variant JN.1 is more severe or it`s going to cause more pneumonia, more death, so I think what we need to do is try to take the normal preventive measures that we are all now familiar with. We`re all now very familiar with Omicron. So it`s the same family. So not much has changed, but 1 or 2 new mutations have come up. And that`s why I think WHO has said let`s keep a watch on it. It`s a variant of interest. It`s not a variant of concern," said Dr Soumya Swaminathan while speaking to ANI on December 21. 

The rising political unrest among Shiv Sainiks over revolt by some leaders led the Mumbai Police on Saturday to issue prohibitory orders, restricting movement and unlawful assembly of five or more persons for prevention of breach of peace under Section 37 of the Maharashtra Police Act. The order will remain effective till July 10.