The disease patterns from an immune evasiveness and spread capability of this variant needs careful attention.
JN.1, the latest COVID-19 variant from the lineage of Omicron making a fresh surge around the globe, represents ‘very serious evolution’ of COVID virus, according to experts. To subscribe please click tau.id/2iy6f and access our live channel.
JN.1, classified as a variant of interest (VOI) by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its rapid spread, is currently present in about 41 countries.
DON’T MISS: India records hundreds of new variant cases
The WHO expects JN.1 to increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries. It was first detected in Luxembourg in August.
The novice variant is a descendent lineage of BA.2.86, with the earliest sample collected on August 25, 2023. In comparison with BA.2.86, JN.1 has the additional L455S mutation in the spike protein, making it more transmissible.
It is an all new variant with numerous changes that had never been seen in any commonly circulating lineage before. This is unlike other recent variants, which were merely a few mutations from their predecessor.
The highly transmissible variant is “on track to become the lineage from which most variants are descended for the foreseeable future.
After the major variants of Covid like Alpha, Delta and Omicron, JN.1 very likely represents a new chapter in pandemic evolution.
