Covid cases in Pakistan reach 15

ISLAMABAD: Fifteen new cases of the JN-1 variant of Covid have been confirmed across Pakistan, as reported by the National Institute of Health (NIH).

This new variant is identified as a subvirus of Omicron and has affected individuals who recently arrived from abroad.

Sindh’s health department has confirmed that two new cases of a variant of COVID-19, have been detected in passengers who arrived in Karachi from Jeddah.

A 28-year-old resident of Faisalabad and a 25-year-old resident of Malakand were tested due to the presence of symptoms of COVID-19 at Jinnah International Airport, Karachi.

The spokesperson for the health department said that 17 passengers tested positive for the rapid antigen test so far, of which 15 PCRs were reported positive, including four reports from yesterday that were received today (Tuesday).

Screening system has been installed at international airports for incoming and outgoing travelers to curb the spread of the JN-1 variant, according to the health minsitry.

The NIH lab, Aga Khan University, and Dow Health University Karachi have reported eight, five, and two cases, respectively, of the new covid JN-1 variant, according to Health Minister Nadeem Jan.

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The Ministry of Health is actively monitoring the situation, and Nadeem Jan emphasizes the ongoing communication between the Federation and provinces to effectively address the emerging challenges posed by the new variant of Covid in Pakistan.

Worryingly, the JN-1 variant has been documented in more than 60 countries worldwide, raising concerns about its global spread.

WHAT DO WE KNOW—AND NOT KNOW—ABOUT JN.1?

Although there is not yet enough evidence to say anything definitively, JN.1 does not seem to cause more cases of severe disease or symptoms that differ from those associated with previous strains.

The CDC has noted that Covid symptoms generally tend to be similar across variants, and symptoms and severity are usually more dependent on the person’s immunity than they are on the variant.

One remarkable aspect of JN.1 is its rapid evolution. After its first documented appearance in the U.S. in September, JN.1 went from accounting for 3.5% of COVID cases in mid-November to a little more than 21% about a month later in December before rising to over 60% of cases in January, according to CDC estimates.

At the same time, despite a recent uptick in COVID cases, it’s hard to tell whether JN.1 and other new coronavirus subvariants are responsible for it.