Corona’s JN.1 variant causes a stir in Asia! India is also on alert, know how dangerous this form is

New Delhi: Call it Corona virus or Covid-19, its fear has been seen among the people since the year 2020. Hundreds of people lost their lives all over the world due to this epidemic. People had not yet properly forgotten the devastation caused by Covid-19, meanwhile, Corona cases have started increasing again in some countries of Asia. The number of infected people is increasing rapidly in Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand. The reason for this is the JN.1 variant of Omicron which spreads very quickly and now its effect is being seen in many parts of the world.

In Singapore, 14,200 new corona cases were found in the week till May 3, whereas last week this number was 11,100. There has also been a 30% increase in the number of patients admitted to the hospital there. Due to this, the health officers there have become more alert. The situation is not good in Hong Kong either. The spread of corona is said to be very high there. According to Health Officer Albert Au, this year so far the highest number of corona positive cases have been reported. 31 people have also died in a single week, which is the highest in a year. Many people are hospitalized in critical condition.

There are less cases of corona in India right now, but there has definitely been a slight increase. As of May 19, 257 active cases have been reported. Due to the increase in cases in the surrounding countries, doctors and health officers of India are on alert and are monitoring the situation so that any necessary steps can be taken in time. But the question arises that what is this new variant JN.1 of Omicron? What are its symptoms and how does it spread? Let’s know.

What is JN.1 variant?
JN.1 is a new form of corona virus, which is related to Omicron. It has emerged from an old variant named BA.2.86, also known as Pirola. This variant was first identified in late 2023. After this, it spread rapidly in countries like America, UK, India, Singapore and Hong Kong.

This variant has a special change (mutation) in the spike protein (the part of the virus with which it sticks to the cells of the body). Due to this change, this virus can spread more rapidly. It can also break the immunity of the body, which was formed after getting the vaccine or having Covid earlier.

How dangerous is JN.1?
According to the current data, the JN.1 variant is similar to the old variants of Omicron and the risk of getting serious illness from it is very low. Its symptoms have been seen in most people at mild to moderate level. These include symptoms like sore throat, runny nose, mild fever, fatigue and cough. These symptoms are very similar to the earlier Omicron virus.

However, the biggest concern of JN.1 is its ability to spread rapidly. This variant can spread very easily from one person to another, so its cases can increase rapidly.

There has not been a significant increase in the number of hospital admissions so far, but elderly people, people with pre-existing diseases and those with weak immunity need to be cautious. There is no need to panic about this variant, but caution and vigilance is very important to prevent the virus from spreading.

What are its symptoms?
The JN.1 variant has several symptoms, most of which are similar to those seen in the previous Omicron strain. Common symptoms include dry cough, runny or blocked nose, headache, sore throat and fever. Many people infected with it also complain of feeling tired. In some cases, the sense of taste or smell is also lost. One symptom that is seen more often with the JN.1 variant is diarrhea, which is called diarrhea. Overall, while the symptoms are mostly mild to moderate, it is important to be cautious.