Amid growing concerns over the JN.1 variant of coronavirus, former WHO chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan has reassured the public that there is no need for immediate panic. In an interview with ANI, Swaminathan pointed to the fact that the UN health agency has classified the strain as a variant of interest and not a variant of concern.

“We need to be cautious, but we don’t need to worry because we don’t have any data to suggest that this variant JN.1 is more severe or it’s going to cause more pneumonia, more death,” she said.

“I think what we need to do is try to take the normal preventive measures that we are all now familiar with. We were familiar with Omicron, so it’s the same family. So not much has changed, but 1 or 2 new mutations have come up. And that’s why I think WHO has said let’s keep a watch on it. It’s a variant of interest. It’s not a variant of concern,” Swaminathan added.

10 things you need to know about the JN.1 outbreak:

1. India has reported 26 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant so far, causing heightened attention and concern. Of 25 cases, 19 were detected in Goa, four in Rajasthan, and one each in Kerala, Delhi, Maharashtra.
2. All 19 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant traced in Goa are confirmed as inactive. The variant was detected during genome sequencing of samples collected from patients.
3. State epidemiologist Dr Prashant Suryavanshi told PTI that the patients with the JN.1 variant had mild symptoms and have recovered now.
4. While two Covid cases of the JN.1 sub-variant were reported in Jaisalmer on Wednesday, two other cases were reported in Jaipur on Thursday.
5. Meanwhile, India recorded 594 fresh Covid-19 cases, raising the number of active infections to 2,669.
6. The World Health Organization has classified JN.1 as a variant of interest, distinct from its parent lineage BA.2.86, with a low overall risk based on current evidence.
7. About 1 in every 24 people in England and Scotland has Covid-19, with London the worst-affected area as the highly infectious JN.1 variant spreads rapidly, according to Bloomberg.
8. The prevalence is highest among individuals aged 18 to 44, as indicated by a joint report from the UK Health Security Agency and the Office for National Statistics.
9. The report attributes the rising cases to the combination of cold weather, shorter days, and increased socializing during the winter season, creating a conducive environment for respiratory virus transmission.
10. Across England and Scotland, the overall Covid prevalence rate is 4.2%, with London being the worst-affected area at 6.1%.