COVID-19 JN.1 in Thailand
While the COVID-19 situation has shown signs of improvement and has been less prominent in recent times, it’s essential to remain vigilant as new virus variants continue to emerge periodically, even though they may not be frequently covered in the news.
Recently, there’s a report concerning a new COVID-19 variant that’s expected to be prevalent in Thailand in 2024 — COVID-19 JN.1.
The JN.1 is expected to be the common variant in 2024
On 11th January 2024, Prof. Dr Yong Poovorawan, Head of the Center of Excellence in Clinical Virology and Pediatric Infectious Diseases within the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, took to Facebook to announce the realisation of predictions: the COVID-19 JN.1 variant, known for its high transmissibility, has now established itself as the prevailing strain in Thailand.
The COVID-19 JN.1 variant originated from the BA.2.86 strain discovered in the United States and was predicted to replace all other strains in Thailand this year.
Image credit: Thai Embassy
However, the severity of this variant is low and people infected with this COVID-19 JN.1 can expect to have symptoms similar to a cold, be it cough, fever, headache, sore throat, or fatigue. Ongoing observations aim to gather more information about this variant.
The reported number of COVID-19 JN.1 cases in Asia is relatively low overall, but it is advisable to take precautions for your safety moving forward.
Protect yourself from the new COVID-19 JN.1
Seems like the COVID-19 situation hasn’t said goodbye to us for good, with its new variants happening as time goes by. Fortunately, this variant was said to cause mild symptoms and hasn’t raised the number of patients. That said, it’s best not to catch it. So, stay safe everyone!
For similar news, read the Ancient Town of Si Thep listed as a UNESCO heritage site, a new Bangkok bus terminal planned to be established in Bang Sue, and Thais swapping to buses and vans after finding out the new MRT Pink Line’s steep fares.
Cover image adapted from: @Thai Embassy