Fastest-growing COVID-19 variant raises concerns among global health sector

A new sub-variant of the Omicron strain of coronavirus named "JN.1" has alerted experts across the global health industry, as it has been classified as a "variant of interest" by the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to its rapidly increasing spread.

COVID-19 cases involving the JN.1 variant have been found in many countries across the world, including India, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Although WHO has stated that the risk to the public is currently low, it warns that the coronavirus and other infections could rise this winter.

Furthermore, respiratory viruses such as flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and childhood pneumonia are also on the rise in the Northern Hemisphere.

The virus behind COVID-19 is constantly evolving, which has led to the development of new variants, with Omicron being the globally dominant one.

Meanwhile, WHO is closely monitoring several variants linked to Omicron, including JN.1, but none are considered concerning at the moment.

However, JN.1 is the fastest-growing variant of COVID-19, accounting for 15-29% of infections in the US, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is also the fastest-growing in the UK, accounting for around 7% of positive coronavirus tests, according to the UK Health Security Agency.

Therefore, it is important to continue monitoring all available data on this and other variants to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to control the spread of the virus.

According to the BBC, JN.1 is spreading fast in all regions, potentially because it has an additional mutation in the spike protein compared to the BA.2.86 variant from which it has descended.

"It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in Sars-Cov-2 [coronavirus] cases amid a surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season," the WHO's risk assessment says.

There is still limited evidence on how capable JN.1 is of getting around the immunity offered by vaccines, the WHO says.

WHO reports no increased illness rates with this variant compared to previous ones, but more studies are needed to understand its health impact due to a decrease in countries reporting COVID-19 data.

In the meantime, WHO has advised people to take precautionary measures to prevent infections and severe disease by wearing a mask in crowded areas, covering up coughs and sneezes, cleaning their hands regularly, and staying up to date with coronavirus and flu vaccinations, especially if vulnerable.

Additionally, WHO advises people to stay home if they are ill and get tested if they have symptoms.