Health experts have issued a warning as a new Covid strain seems to be more contagious than other variants. Nicknamed ‘Juno’, the JN.1 strain is partly responsible for a massive spike in coronavirus cases in the UK over the festive period.
The variant was first detected in Luxembourg in August last year, but was then spread to other countries including France and the US. In early December, a number of cases linked to Juno were reported in the UK.
Over the past month, Juno accounted for 47.5 percent of all UK Covid cases. But this week’s figures revealed this has risen to nearly 70 percent.
Initially Juno was tracked as part of the BA.2.86 strain, a descendant of Omicron also known as “Pirola”. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has since classified it as a variant of interest on its own.
The WHO has stated that JN.1 poses a low risk to public health, with “no reports of elevated disease severity associated with this variant”, especially in countries with high vaccination rates. But rapid spread of the strain has led experts to believe it is “more transmissible” than previous variants.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes: “The continued growth of JN.1 suggests that it is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems.”
According to the CDC, symptoms of Juno are likely to be “similar” to those caused by other strains.
These could include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhoea.
Many people recover from Covid within four weeks, however, if symptoms linger it is worth speaking to a GP.
Although there is currently no self-isolation mandate in the UK, the NHS still recommends staying home and avoiding contact with others for five days if you test positive for Covid.
You should avoid contact with vulnerable people for 10 days.
What is the JN.1 variant?
As mentioned, the JN.1 is a subvariant of BA.2.68, making it a descendant of Omicron.
But it differs from BA.2.68 because it has an extra spike protein.
Thomas Russo, chief of infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo’s School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, told The Independent this could be what makes it more infectious than its predecessors.
However, increased infectiousness does not equal severe illness.
“It’s important for people to realise we don’t think it’s causing any more serious disease,” Mr Russo said.
The WHO adds: “While there is a rapid increase in JN.1 infections, and likely increase in cases, available limited evidence does not suggest that the associated disease severity is higher as compared to other circulating variants.”
The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), shows a steady increase in Covid cases in recent weeks.
In the week up to and including January 3, there were 8,660 new Covid cases in England.
This was an increase of 686 cases from the previous week.
Covid deaths also increased in that time, from 181 to 212.
