Covid: New Covid strain JN.1 has been classified as the “variant of interest” by the World Health Organisation (WHO). However, the world health body said it did not pose much threat to public health.
“Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low,” WHO said, Reuters reported.
JN.1 was previously classified as a variant of interest as a part of its parent lineage BA.2.86.
Existing vaccines to protect against JN.1
As a new strain has been classified as the ‘variant of interest’, existing vaccines are likely to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants.
JN.1 was first detected in the US in September, according to the CDC. Last week, China detected seven infections of the COVID subvariant.
Kerala reports first case of JN.1
A new Covid sub-variant JN.1 was recently found in some patients in Kerala. Health officials have been directed to monitor the patients suffering from cold and respiratory diseases coming to the medical institutions of the state.
With inputs from Reuters
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