WHO Declares JN.1 COVID ‘Variant of Interest’ as Reported Cases Spike

The omicron subvariant was previously classified under its parent strain, BA.2.86 (or the “Pirola” variant). Pirola, which had multiple mutations compared to the omicron variant XBB.1.5, was targeted in the updated COVID vaccine introduced in September.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared on Tuesday the omicron strain subvariant JN.1 a variant of interest “due to its rapidly increasing spread.”

JN.1, which first appeared in the US in September and has evolved from the variant BA.2.86, or the Pirola variant, has been found in at least 41 countries across the globe. However, the health agency has noted the risk to the public remains low as traditional COVID vaccines still offer protection.

At present, there is no evidence the subvariant can cause an illness any more severe than what COVID patients are already experiencing.

However, health authorities warn that due to its rapid spread, the subvariant could cause an increase in cases this winter. In early November, the variant made up about 3% of all COVID cases globally, but that percentage rose to 27.1% a month later. It is also the fastest-growing variant in the US and has accounted for 21% of infections in the two-week period ending December 9.

The WHO’s announcement comes after the collective number of visits to the emergency room in the US for COVID, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus reached its highest level since February.

“It’s coming at the same exact time in which our social networks are expanding as we travel and visit with people we don’t normally see,” said Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who publishes a public health newsletter.

“I don’t think it means we need to cancel our holidays,” Jetelina added. “It certainly isn’t going to be a tsunami like we saw with omicron. It’s just less than optimal timing.”

A “variant of interest” is not the highest level that a subvariant can fall under, though. The WHO classifies “variants of concern” as being the highest level, followed by “variant of interest," and then at the bottom of the list is “variants under monitoring.”

"We know that the COVID virus continues to change. And even in the last few weeks, it has changed again," Dr. Mandy Cohen, the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told an American news network.

"The good news is that, that new change to the virus...one, we can still pick it up with our tests. Two, our treatments are still effective against that change. And importantly, the updated COVID vaccine that you can get right now is still good coverage for those changes – we've seen that in the lab," Cohen added.