The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated on Friday that the “JN1” variant of the COVID-19 virus represents approximately 62% of cases in the United States as of January 5th, according to Reuters.
The CDC added that the “JN1” variant is now the most prevalent type in the United States, Europe, and globally, with infection rates sharply rising in Asia.
Currently, there is no evidence that this variant causes more severe symptoms, and it is expected that existing vaccines will bolster protection against it.
The CDC also reported a 20.4% increase in hospital admissions due to COVID-19 in the week ending December 30th.
In December, the World Health Organization classified “JN1” as a “variant under monitoring” and stated that current evidence suggests low public health risks associated with this variant.