Explainers
In Graphics | JN.1 is causing jitters in India. But should you worry?
Nearly two dozen cases of the sub-variant, a descendant of Omicron, have been found across three states. This, as India recorded 614 new coronavirus infections in a day — the highest since 21 May, while the active cases have increased to 2,311. Here's what you need to know
FP Explainers December 20, 2023 19:30:29 IST 
The Centre has asked states and Union Territories to ramp up testing after the detection of the JN.1 subvariant in an elderly woman in Kerala. File image/Reuters
The COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 is causing jitters in India.
Nearly two dozen cases of the sub-variant — a descendant of Omicron — have been found across three states.
This, as the Centre has asked states and Union territories to maintain constant vigil amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases.
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India recorded 614 new coronavirus infections in a day — the highest since 21 May, while the active cases have increased to 2,311, data from the Union health ministry shows.
The World Health Organisation has classified JN.1 as a separate ‘variant of interest’ given its rapidly increasing spread but said that it poses a “low” global public health risk.
The JN.1 variant was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sublineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said on December 19.
However, in recent weeks, JN.1 continues to be reported in multiple countries, and its prevalence has rapidly increased globally. India has also reported its first case of the JN.1 variant. It now represents the vast majority of BA.2.86 descendent lineages reported to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
India detected its first JN.1 case on 8 December.
It was found in a sample taken from a 79-year-old woman in Kerala with mild symptoms.
But what is the JN.1? Why has it been labelled a ‘variant of interest?’ Is it more infectious than other variants? Does it cause more severe disease? And what is a ‘variant of concern?’
Let’s take a closer look:
