Healthcare personnel at the Government Fever Hospital in Hyderabad arrange beds and medical supplies following the Center’s Covid advisory. (Image: PTI)
According to experts, the increase in cases worldwide indicates that JN.1, an Omicron sub-lineage, may be able to outcompete other variants because of its high immune escape ability. Because of this, the WHO has designated JN.1 as a “variant of interest” (VOI), different from the parent lineage BA.2.86, due to its quickly spreading nature. It is the variation that is growing the fastest in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). There is no need to panic, but people are wondering if the Covid-19 sub-variant, which has already been linked to 21 cases in India, is spreading quickly.
The growth advantage, according to Dr. Rajesh Karyakarte, the Maharashtra genome sequencing coordinator, is exponential. He cites WHO data demonstrating how JN.1 quickly rose from 3.3% of all coronavirus cases between October 30 and November 5 to 27% a month later. “This represents an 86 percent growth advantage,” Dr. Karyakarte claims, explaining that the longer infectious period, enhanced transmission, and immune escape were the causes.
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According to the CDC, this shows that it is contagious and is becoming more adept at evading the body’s immune defense system than the ancestral strain. However, since hospital admission rates are low, the spike in transmission does not necessarily indicate a serious illness. Experts add that there is little risk of infection, so those who have already been vaccinated or have had a prior infection shouldn’t be concerned.
