SARS-CoV-2 Sub-Variant JN.1 Identified in HCM City
The HCM City Department of Health reported on January 24 that the city’s infectious disease surveillance system has identified the emergence of the JN.1 sub-variant of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in hospitalized patients in December last year. This sub-variant is derived from the BA.2.86 variant of Omicron, categorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a “variant of interest” (VOI), contributing to the rising number of cases and deaths in some countries.
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SARS-CoV-2
According to data from the HCM City Centre for Disease Control (HCDC) covering the period from December 18, 2023, to January 22, 2024, local hospitals treated 94 COVID-19 cases from the city and adjacent areas. Among these in-patients, 17 cases were severe and required supplemental oxygen.
All severe cases involved individuals in the high-risk group with significant underlying health conditions who had not received sufficient COVID-19 vaccine doses in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines. Notably, the number of hospitalizations at the HCM City Hospital of Tropical Diseases due to the pandemic has increased over the last six weeks.
The JN.1 sub-variant was detected in the city following reports from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC) indicating its rapid growth and dominance in the US in December of the previous year. Global data from December 2023 revealed nearly 10,000 deaths from COVID-19, with hospitalizations increasing by 42% compared to the previous month. The WHO has noted continuous mutations in new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, with the JN.1 sub-variant spreading rapidly worldwide.
As Vietnam’s northern region experiences a transition between winter and spring, characterized by fluctuations between cold and dry and wet weather, there is an increased risk of infectious diseases, particularly respiratory illnesses. With the upcoming Lunar New Year (Tet) holidays and the spring festive season leading to heightened trading and travel demand, along with unpredictable weather changes, the conditions are favorable for disease spread, especially among children with weakened immunity and the elderly with comorbidities.
The municipal Department of Health has urged residents to adopt preventive measures, including wearing masks in medical facilities and crowded places or when experiencing respiratory symptoms, regular handwashing with soap or hand sanitizer, and using mouthwash to rinse the mouth and throat.
