A new variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has been identified in numerous countries around the world. Known as JN.1, this variant has been categorized as a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its increased transmission rate.
JN.1 is a descendant of the BA 2.86 variant, which is part of the lineage of the more severe Omicron variant. The new variant has 21 mutations in its spike proteins, compared to 20 in its predecessor. The additional mutation, L455S, may be assisting the virus in evading immune responses.
JN.1 was first detected in the United States in September and has since spread to 41 countries. Despite this, the CDC has not found evidence to suggest that JN.1 poses a greater risk to public health than other variants. It is expected to exhibit similar symptoms to COVID-19, and pandemic-era measures such as social distancing and mask-wearing are still encouraged as precautions.
The WHO has stated that the risk of JN.1 in terms of severity is currently low, and vaccines will continue to protect against severe effects of the variant. However, the agency has encouraged member states to closely monitor coronavirus cases and share data on samples to better assess the circulation of the variant.
While JN.1 transmission may further strain health facilities, the WHO has also noted that other respiratory diseases such as influenza are also on the rise as winter sets in for the northern hemisphere. Overall, the majority of JN.1 cases are not expected to be severe. Symptoms of the variant are expected to be similar to those of other COVID-19 variants and may include fever, cough, fatigue, and body aches.