Health authorities are concerned about the unprecedented accumulation of JN.1 mutations inherited from the maternal variant
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that the new variant of COVID-19, JN.1, now accounts for 44.1% of cases in the United States, indicating a significant increase in the prevalence of the rapidly spreading variant.
The increase in JN.1 cases is more than double the 21.3% estimate for the week ended Dec. 9, after Thanksgiving, CBS News reported, citing the CDC’s findings.
The highest prevalence among other regions is estimated to be in the Northeast region, covering New Jersey and New York, where the strain is 56.9% of cases.
“The continued development of JN.1 suggests that the variant is either more contagious or better at evading our immune system than other circulating variants. It is too early to know whether or to what extent JN.1 will cause an increase in infections or hospitalizations.” the CDC said.
The new estimates follow an increase in the prevalence of JN.1 in other countries, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to elevate the strain to a “variant of concern,” its second highest level.
The new variant has not been reported to cause severe symptoms compared to previous strains.
However, the unprecedented accumulation of mutations, mainly inherited from the highly mutated parent BA.2.86, has raised concerns among health authorities.
BA.2.86, despite infecting people in dozens of countries, has failed to gain a global presence, but additional JN.1 mutations have changed the strain’s trajectory, raising concerns about its potential increased transmissibility.
The JN.1 variant in the US, first reported in September, has become the fastest-growing case of COVID-19 according to CDC’s “Nowcast” estimates — a model that estimates more recent proportions of circulating variants and allows early action for public health.
The CDC has not updated its variant classifications since September, when BA.2.86 was classified as a “variant under surveillance.”
Additionally, the Biden administration has not elevated JN.1 to a stand-alone “variant of interest.” Instead, the variant is grouped with its parent BA.2.86 as a “monitored variant”.
“We will continue to monitor variants, including JN.1, and provide updates when information changes,” CDC spokeswoman Jasmine Reed said in an email.
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