A new sub-variant of the coronavirus has been classified as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization (OMS), as a result of its speed of spread across the globe.
The variant, called “JN.1” by the researchers, was discovered in a large number of countries around the world, including the most populated ones, such as India, China or the United States.
Despite the rapid and accelerating spread of this strain, WHO experts say the risk to the general public remains low for now, and current vaccines continue to offer protection against the virus.
However, the WHO warns that the increased spread of the coronavirus will mean an increase in the prevalence of infections this winter. The prevalence of other respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV or childhood pneumonia is increasing in the Northern Hemisphere during this period.
Since its emergence, the virus that causes Covid-19 has been in constant change and evolution, and this leads to the emergence of new variants with new genetic traits. The Omicron variant has been the dominant variant globally for some time. The WHO is tracking several sub-variants of it, including JN.1, but none of them have so far been classified as high risk.
JN.1 is the fastest-spreading variant in the US during this period, with the CDC reporting that between 15% and 29% of infections are caused by it. The new sub-variant spreads rapidly to all regions as a result of a mutation in its spike protein.
“We anticipate that this variant will cause an increase in the number of cases of SARS-Cov-2 in the midst of a wave of bacterial and viral infections of other types, especially in countries entering the winter season,” the WHO said.
According to the WHO, however, it is still unclear how JN.1 is able to bypass the protection provided by vaccines.
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2023-12-20 15:49:23
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