Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) tonight declared the new COVID-19 variant JN.1 as a separate variant of interest (VOI) from the parent lineage BA.2.86 but said the risk posed by it is “low” at present.
The determination came amidst rapidly increasing spread of the variant, which is causing a scare in parts of the world in view of the devastation caused by COVID-19 in 2020 and 2022.
This variant was previously classified as VOI as part of BA.2.86 sublineages, the WHO said in a statement.
“Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low,” it said in a reassuring message.
“Despite this, with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, JN.1 could increase the burden of respiratory infections in many countries,” the global health body said.
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, the WHO said.
WHO is continuously monitoring the evidence and will update the JN.1 risk evaluation as needed, it added.
