Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population reported on Thursday the detection of the first two cases of the new Omicron coronavirus subvariant JN.1, following laboratory tests. According to the ministry statement, the identified cases were in stable health conditions, experiencing only mild symptoms affecting the upper respiratory tract, and did not require hospitalization.
Reassuring the public, the ministry stated that there were no updates related to the precautionary measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for respiratory system infections, including coronavirus. However, continuous cleaning and disinfection of hands and surfaces were encouraged, with an emphasis on wearing face masks in public places.
Egypt is currently experiencing an increase in respiratory infections, described as normal for this time of year, according to Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din, the presidential adviser for health affairs. The WHO classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a “variant of interest” last week, noting that its risk to public health remains low. The subvariant has been identified in 41 countries as of mid-December.
Symptoms of the new variant include cough, fever or chills, body aches, congestion, loss of smell and taste, sore throat, and fatigue. Despite the emergence of the new variant, COVID-19 infection rates in Egypt have reached their lowest point since the pandemic began, with no reported deaths since March 16, according to Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, health ministry spokesperson, as of August.
