Mutations

New JN.1 COVID variant may be more contagious but less severe A new, fast-spreading variant named JN.1 now makes up 44% of all cases nationwide. Yahoo News

A new, fast-spreading variant named JN.1 now makes up 44% of all cases nationwide, more than doubling (21.3% vs. 44.2%) its share from the week before, according to the CDC COVID Data Tracker: Variant Proportions. ...

WHO designates JN.1 as separate COVID-19 variant of interest PAHO/Flickr cc CIDRAP

Due to its rapid growth and potential to add to the respiratory virus burden in Northern Hemisphere countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) today designated JN.1, part of the BA.2.86 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, as its own variant of interest.

Over the past month, the proportion of JN.1 viruses has rapidly increased, rising from 3.3% in early November to 27.1% by early December. Countries reporting the highest proportions include France, the United States, Singapore, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Four New COVID-19 Variants Are Raising Concerns in the US! Here’s All About Them | Weather.com

Four New COVID-19 Variants Are Raising Concerns in the US! Here’s All About Them | Weather.com While vaccines have significantly reduced case numbers, these new strains pose fresh challenges in our ongoing fight against the coronavirus. - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com The Weather Channel The Weather Channel

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Study: Hospital-based COVID-19 less serious after Omicron Wavebreakmedia/ iStock CIDRAP

Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) COVID-19 transmission was associated with higher rates of 30-day mortality and more severe disease during the early phases of the pandemic, but the risk has lessened in the post-Omicron landscape, according to a new study from JAMA Network Open based on outcomes seen in Sweden during the past 3 years.

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