WHO says JN.1 COVID strain a 'variant of interest', poses low risk
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[December 20, 2023]
By Sriparna Roy
(Reuters) -The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday classified the
JN.1 coronavirus strain as a "variant of interest" and said current
evidence shows risk to public health was low from the strain.
At least two experts told Reuters that while the strain can evade the
immune system and transmit more easily than other currently circulating
variants, it has not shown any signs of more severe disease.
While there might be more cases with the variant, JN.1 doesn't pose a
greater risk, said Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health.
JN.1 was previously classified a variant of interest as part of its
parent lineage BA.2.86, but WHO has now classified it as a separate
variant of interest.
WHO said current vaccines will continue to protect against severe
disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of the
COVID-19 virus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said earlier
this month the subvariant JN.1 makes up about an estimated 15% to 29% of
cases in the United States as of Dec. 8, according to the agency's
latest projections.
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![](../images/122023PIX/health10.jpg)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) logo is seen near its
headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Denis
Balibouse/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2019/Sep/05/images/ads/current/stclara_lda_SPONSOR_090519.png) The CDC had said currently there was
no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health
relative to other currently circulating variants and an updated shot
could keep Americans protected against the variant.
JN.1 was first detected in the United States in September, according
to the CDC.
Last week, China detected seven infections of the COVID subvariant.
(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by
Lisa Shumaker, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Shailesh Kuber and Shounak
Dasgupta)
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