The Ministry of Health is keeping a close eye on the impact of the JN.1 Covid strain in our country. Health DG Patrick Amoth reassured the public on Thursday, saying that the current data doesn’t raise any alarm bells for now.
JN.1 was flagged as a variant of interest back in December last year. Experts have analyzed it and found that it’s a descendant of BA.2.86, with added mutations that make it transmit more efficiently, while still possessing immune evasion characteristics like its parent strain.
“Covid has been among us since it was declared a pandemic. The new JN.1 variant is a subvariant of the omicron variant,” Amoth explained.
He mentioned that surveillance is ongoing, but the numbers so far aren’t concerning.
Speaking about the country’s readiness, the DG emphasized that lessons learned during the pandemic have bolstered our capacity to handle health emergencies effectively.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that there’s no evidence suggesting JN.1 leads to more severe illness. However, it might contribute to more respiratory infections in various countries. The CDC also highlighted that Covid symptoms remain largely consistent across variants, with severity often linked to individual immunity rather than the variant itself.
In December, the WHO warned about the potential for JN.1 to drive up Covid cases, especially in countries facing a surge in infections of other viruses and bacteria as winter approaches.
Amoth expressed confidence in the country’s health system, saying, “We’ve built a resilient, robust, and strong health system capable of tackling any Covid variant. We’re keeping an eye on things, but there’s nothing to worry about at the moment.”
