New COVID-19 variant, JN.1, classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is a serious evolution of the virus, with rapid spread in 41 countries. Experts say JN.1 may start new pandemic sub-lineages.
A ‘very severe evolution’ of the Covid virus: That’s what experts call JN.1, the latest COVID-19 variation from the Omicron lineage spreading worldwide.
JN.1, a WHO variation of interest (VOI) due to its fast proliferation, is found in 41 countries.
It was found in Luxembourg in August. JN.1 is expected to worsen respiratory illnesses in many countries, according to WHO.
WHO “Just calling JN.1 a VOI doesn’t cut it, given its growth advantage. “It’s amazing,” said Scripps Research Translational Institute founder and director Eric Topol to Fortune.
JN.1, a descendant of BA.2.86, was first sampled on August 25, 2023. JN.1 is more transmissible than BA.2.86 due to its spike protein L455S mutation.
JN.1 brings ‘a very dangerous evolution of the virus’. Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), said it’s ongoing.
“JN.1 is a novel variation with many alterations never before seen in a common lineage. In contrast, other recent variants were only a few mutations from their predecessor “Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, National Indian Medical Association COVID Task Force co-chairman, said a news agency.
“Therefore, the disease patterns from an immune evasiveness and spread capability of this variant needs careful attention,” said Jayadevan.
He defined variable immunological invasiveness as the virus’s ability to override an individual’s immune response.
According to specialists, JN.1 may be a new pandemic variety after Alpha, Delta, and Omicron. According to University of Guelph biology professor Ryan Gregory, JN.1 has started “a new era”.
Gregory told Fortune that the highly transmissible variety is “on track to become the lineage from which most variants are descended for the foreseeable future”.
Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s COVID-19 technical lead, suggested the following sub-lineages may “come from JN.1”.
“We might also see something different. We may see an Omicron again “said.
Conclusion
Due to its rapid rise, the WHO has designated JN.1 the latest COVID-19 variation of interest (VOI). It is found in 41 countries and predicted to exacerbate respiratory illnesses in many. The first sample of JN.1, a descendent of BA.2.86, was taken on August 25, 2023. More transmissible due to the spike protein L455S mutation. The highly transmissible variety of JN.1 may have started a new pandemic era, according to experts. The highly transmissible variety will likely be the lineage from which most variants desc
