Due to its rapid growth and potential to add to the respiratory virus burden in Northern Hemisphere countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) today designated JN.1, part of the BA.2.86 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, as its own variant of interest.
The announcement came following an assessment from the WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on SARS-CoV-2 evolution.
Rapidly rising JN.1 proportions
JN.1, first detected on August 25, contains L455S mutation in the spike protein, compared to the parent BA.2.86 variant. The mutation is thought to enhance JN.1’s immune-evasion capabilities. The WHO had first designated BA.2.86 as a variant under monitoring in August, then in late November upgraded it and its offshoots, including JN.1, as a variant of interest.
Source: WHO designates JN.1 as separate COVID-19 variant of interest | CIDRAP










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