Dec 20 (NewsWire) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a “variant of interest”.
Taking to ‘X’, WHO said due to its rapidly increasing spread, it is classifying the variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86
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It was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages, it clarified.
WHO further said that based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low.
“Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries,” it warned.
WHO went on to note that current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
WHO added that it is continuously monitoring the evidence and will update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed.
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