Covid-19 Sub-Strain JN.1 Detected In Elderly Kerala Woman, Triggers Concerns

The JN.1 Covid subvariant, which is a descendent of BA.2.86, has been identified in certain regions of Kerala, raising apprehensions about its potential impact.

A case of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 was detected in Kerala on 8 December, news agency PTI reported citing officials.

The sample from a 79-year-old woman had returned a positive result in an RT-PCR test on 18 November, they said, adding that she had mild symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) and had recovered from COVID-19.

The India SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), a nationwide network of multiple agencies and laboratories responsible for sequencing and monitoring emerging threatening Covid-19 variants, has conducted surveillance in areas of Kerala where the JN.1 variant has been detected.

In a conversation with ANI, the head of INSACOG, N.K. Arora, disclosed JN.1, a variant that was first identified and reported in November is a subvariant of BA.2.86.

He further explained that India has managed to maintain vigilance over this variant, which is why no severe disease or hospitalisation has been reported to date.

It's worth noting that the JN.1 variant was initially discovered in the United States in September 2023.

Rajeev Jayadevan, who co-chairs the National Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force, stated that India is witnessing a surge in Covid cases after a seven-month hiatus.

He indicated that while people in Kerala are contracting the virus, the severity remains the same as previous instances.

Jayadevan indicated that the JN.1 variant possesses the ability to spread rapidly and bypass immune defences. He described JN.1 as a highly immune-evasive and quickly proliferating variant, distinguishing it significantly from XBB and all preceding forms of the virus.

Rajeev Jayadevan highlighted the presence of JN.1 in multiple countries and its rapid increase in several Western nations. He pointed out that India, due to its global connectivity through international travel, should not be an exception to this trend.