Cases of a new sub-variant JN.1 in several countries ahead of the holidays, particularly the spike in the US, China and Singapore, have led to people wondering whether there could be a surge. (File photo)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated the COVID-19 variant JN.1 as a distinct variant of interest, separating it from its parental lineage BA.2.86, owing to its rapid spread across regions.
The announcement by the WHO on Tuesday noted that while the current evidence indicates a low global health risk attributed to JN.1, concerns arise as the Northern Hemisphere enters the winter season. The organization cautioned that JN.1's emergence could potentially exacerbate the burden of respiratory infections in numerous countries.
The WHO assured that it maintains continuous surveillance of JN.1, pledging to adjust its risk assessment in response to evolving evidence.
Despite its classification as a variant of interest, the WHO affirmed that existing vaccines remain effective in safeguarding against severe illness and fatalities caused by JN.1, echoing their efficacy against other circulating variants.
Within Canada, JN.1 is categorized as part of the variant BA.2.86, a subvariant of the Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2. Notably, its prevalence has shown a steady rise since October, where it initially represented a mere 0.1% of the total variants detected.
Recent data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) as of December 10 underscores the rapid escalation of JN.1's prevalence, accounting for a significant 27.4% of COVID-19 variants within the country.
A spokesperson for PHAC, in communication with Global News, highlighted JN.1 as "the most established BA.2.86 sub-lineage globally and in Canada." The agency continues ongoing assessments to ascertain whether JN.1 warrants further reclassification as a variant of interest within the Canadian context.
This development comes amidst increased vigilance and surveillance efforts worldwide, reflecting a proactive stance in addressing emerging variants of the COVID-19 virus.
—Acknowledgment: Information sourced from Global’s Sean Boynton contributed to this report.
