The new JN.1 Omicron sub-variant has been spreading with an unstoppable force. With new cases and intricacies popping up every day, a recent report has suggested that JN.1 is manifesting two new symptoms that have not been generally associated with a COVID infection.
As per December 2023 data from the United Kindom's Office for National Statistics, JN.1 has presented two new symptoms- anxiety, and difficulty falling asleep. JN.1 which was first detected in August, is not present in over 40 countries, including India.
JN.1 Symptoms
As per the UK health authority’s winter COVID report, more than 10% of UK residents infected by COVID claim to have experienced consistent bouts of anxiety and excessive worrying. The most common symptoms remain to be a runny nose, as reported by 31.1% of the survey participants. This is followed by cough in 22.9% of cases, headache in 20.1% of cases, fatigue in 19.6% of cases, muscle pain in 15.8% of cases, and sore throat in 13.2% of cases.
Trouble sleeping and anxiety were reported by 10.8% and 10.5% of the survey participants, which is a deviation from the usually reported symptoms of COVID. Till now, symptoms have been mostly restricted to the upper respiratory tract, but JN.1 is rewriting the book on COVID in more ways than one.
Moreover, the once-common symptoms, which were usually considered the major marker of COVID, the loss of taste and smell, were reported in only 2-3% of the cases in the UK.
Increase In JN.1 Cases
Experts suggest that the severity and the type of symptoms of the JN.1 variant still depend on a person’s health and immunity to COVID infection. Fortunately, JN.1 has not seemingly caused a spike in the rate of hospitalisations due to COVID. Yet, the World Health Organisation named JN.1 a ‘Variant of Interest.’
Amid this spike, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare updated that 636 fresh COVID-19 cases and 3 deaths have occurred in India in the last 24 years. This new variant has also surcharged a whopping 52% increase in COVID-19 cases within a month.
However, even though the situation remains controlled in India as of now, The United Nations has reported an increase in hospital and ICU admissions, as well as the rate of death.
Concluding their report, the survey findings statistics that overall the cases of JN.1 are mild and severe cases only happen in 10%. These findings do skyrocket if a person suffers from previous comorbidities, involving lungs and old age. However, it is important that COVID appropriate measures are still being practised as they are the first line of defence against the spread of JN.1. Keep using masks especially when in crowded and congested places, maintain good hygiene with a special focus towards handwashing, and avoid public gatherings especially when you feel under the weather.