WHO Reports Surge in COVID-19 Cases Due to New Variant JN.1

 The World Health Organization (WHO), a United Nations agency, has reported a global increase in COVID-19 cases, attributing the surge to holiday gatherings and the spread of the new JN.1 variant, as stated by Medical Express.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, in a press conference in Geneva, noted that the festive gatherings and the global prevalence of the new variant led to an increased transmission of COVID-19 last month.

The UN health agency's head added on Wednesday that these factors significantly contributed to the rise in coronavirus cases. Dr. Ghebreyesus informed that nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions jumped by 42% in about 50 countries, mostly in Europe and the Americas, that shared such trend data.

Despite the monthly death toll being significantly lower than at the pandemic's peak, Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized that this level of preventable deaths remains unacceptable. He expressed certainty that cases are also rising in other regions where reports are not available, urging governments to continue surveillance and ensure ongoing access to treatments and vaccines.

Dr. Ghebreyesus stated that the Omicron variant JN.1 has now become the most prominent globally, indicating that existing vaccines should offer some level of protection.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's Technical Lead for COVID-19, pointed to a global increase in respiratory diseases due to the coronavirus, as well as influenza and other respiratory viruses. She expects these trends to continue in January during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere and noted increases in COVID-19 cases in the Southern Hemisphere, where it is currently summer.