COVID-19 cases involving the JN.1 variant raise concerns

COVID-19 cases involving the JN.1 variant are raising concerns globally.

A new sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus named “JN.1” has been classified as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its rapidly increasing spread.

Ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations, this new sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus is spreading fast in India, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States, has alerted global health industry experts.

Furthermore, respiratory viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and childhood pneumonia are also on the rise in the Northern Hemisphere.

WHO has warned that the coronavirus and other infections could rise this winter.

India has been reporting a surge in Covid-19 cases, with 614 fresh infections in the last 24 hours.

According to the data provided by the Union Health Ministry, updated on Wednesday, active COVID-19 cases in India have increased to 2,311. The data, which was updated at 8 am, showed three COVID-19 deaths reported in the last 24 hours from Kerala.

This is the highest reporting of positive cases in 24 hours in India since May 21 this year amid the spike in infections across the United States and China due to subvariant JN.1.

On the other hand, the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has termed the subvariant JN.1. the fastest-growing variant in that country.

The variant in question is also the fastest-growing in the UK, accounting for around 7% of positive coronavirus tests, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

According to a BBC report, JN.1 is spreading fast in all regions, potentially because it has an additional mutation in the spike protein compared to the BA.2.86 variant from which it has descended.

“It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in Sars-Cov-2 [coronavirus] cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season,” the WHO’s risk assessment says.

According to health experts, the recent uptick in cases globally shows JN.1, an Omicron sub-lineage, could out-compete other variants due to its high immune escape ability, say experts.

This is the reason why the WHO, given its rapidly increasing spread, has classified JN.1 as a “variant of interest” (VOI), distinct from the parent lineage BA.2.86.