Photo: PTI
Guwahati, Dec 16:In a significant development, a new of COVID-19 subvariant, JN. 1, has been detected in certain areas of Kerala.
According to reports, this COVID subvariant is a descendant of BA.2.86 and it is raising concerns among experts due to its potential impact on the already surging cases in the state.
Confirming its presence, the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) identified this new subvariant in Kerala.
Initially, this variant was first detected in Europe in August 2023 and it was first reported in Luxembourg, followed by cases in England, Iceland, France and the United States.
It may be mentioned that researchers in the US highlighted that the JN. 1 variant is highly contagious and has the ability to evade vaccine immunity.