WHO Says Risk 'Low' From COVID Strain Deemed 'Variant of Interest'

WHO Says Risk 'Low' , From COVID Strain Deemed , 'Variant of Interest'.

'The Independent' reports that the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 has been classified as a "variant of interest" by officials who added that it poses a minor threat to public health.

On December 19, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the risk from the JN.1 variant remains "low," based on current evidence.

Previously, this variant was classified as a variant of interest due to its lineage with the Omicron variant, otherwise known as BA.2.86.

According to the WHO, current vaccines continue to offer protection from severe disease and death from JN.1 and other COVID variants currently in circulation.

According to the WHO, current vaccines continue to offer protection from severe disease and death from JN.1 and other COVID variants currently in circulation.

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the JN.1 subvariant accounts for an estimated 15% to 29% of current cases in the U.S. In August, JN.1 was first detected in Luxembourg, before later being detected in other countries that included the U.S., U.K. and France.

Last week, seven cases of the JN.1 subvariant were detected in China.

According to the most recent data, COVID cases are also on the rise in England, with 5,975 new cases reported in the week ending December 9.

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'The Independent' reports that JN.1 has been deemed "of interest" by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) due to its mutation and , "increasing prevalence within the UK and international data.".

According to the head of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, Prof Azeem Majeed, JN.1 , “appears to be the fastest growing variant in the UK at the moment.”