What is the new COVID variant, JN.1? All you need to know

The new COVID variant, JN.1, is a mutated form of the virus that has been identified in multiple countries, causing concern among health officials. The newest sub-variant of the SaRS virus was discovered in the United States in September 2023, and since then it has spread to other countries, including China, Singapore, and now India. 

The first reported case of JN.1 in India was detected in Kerala. Even one death has been reported from this highly mutant strain. Wearing masks has been made mandatory in Karnataka. 

In light of the identification of JN1 variant cases of Covid-19 in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, a precautionary advisory has been issued for residents in the state. Individuals aged 60 and above, pregnant women, and those with underlying health conditions should wear masks when in… pic.twitter.com/oyvhGBNjqi

— DIPR Karnataka (@KarnatakaVarthe) December 19, 2023

Here’s what you need to know about JN1

• According to the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), JN1 is the fastest-spreading COVID sub-variant. 
• JN.1 is connected to BA.2.86, another Omicron descendant that was discovered in the US in 2022. The CDC says, “Even though BA.2.86 and JN.1 sound very different because of the way COVID variants are named, there is only a single change between JN.1 and BA.2.86 in the spike protein.” Spike protein is a virus’s ability to latch onto and infect humans. 
• According to the CDC, the newest strain has been reported in 12 countries, including India. After being discovered in the US in September, seven new cases of the same variant were reported in China, which then spread to Singapore. 
• According to Today.com, JN.1 accounted for less than 1% of COVID-19 instances in early November, but it currently accounts for more than 20% of cases only a few weeks later.
• “Due to consistent and collaborative actions between the Centre and state governments, we have been able to sustain the COVID trajectory at sustainable low rates. However, as the COVID virus continues to circulate and its epidemiology behaviour gets settled with Indian weather conditions and the circulation of other usual pathogens, it is important to keep the momentum going to effectively deal with the challenges in public health,” said Sudhansh Pant, Union Health Secretary, in a letter to the states and UTs. 
• Though the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not recognise JN.1 as a variant of concern, proper precautions must be taken, since its transmission is quite fast. 

What are the symptoms of JN1?

The symptoms of JN1 are similar to the other sub-variants of COVID-19. For now, the symptoms include:

• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle ache
• Fever/chills
• Loss of taste or smell