Rapid Spread of New COVID-19 Variant JN.1 Raises Concerns

A case of the JN.1 sub-variant of COVID-19, currently spreading in the US and China, has been detected in Kerala, India. The Union Health Ministry is monitoring the situation and conducting a mock drill to assess public health and hospital preparedness. While there has been an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases in Kerala, most are clinically mild and recovering at home. The JN.1 variant is a close relative of the Pirola variant and carries one additional mutation in the spike protein. Current vaccines have shown effectiveness against Pirola and are expected to protect against JN.1 as well. Experts recommend following standard preventive measures such as wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and practicing good hand hygiene.