COVID-19 resurgence in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong: Things you must know about JN.1 variant

India.com

19-05-2025

It was just a few years ago when the world was hit by a major pandemic of COVID-19, infecting millions and causing widespread disruptions. But after a long lull, the world tried to re-adjust to the post-pandemic reality. However, once again, an alarming situation has caused a buzz. Several parts of Asia, like Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Thailand, are seeing a sharp surge in the number of coronavirus cases.
Driven by the new Omicron sub-variant like JN.1 and its descendants, it is spreading like wildfire. Health care officials and professionals have given a heads-up on an alarming situation and have been staying on high alert. They have also warned people to be more cautious and be vigilant about hygiene.
From 11,000 cases last week of April to over 14,000 cases in early May 2025, the infection has seen a surge. However, until now, there has been no evidence on whether the latest variant is more transmissible or severe than the prior one. According to the report by New18, the subvariants of JN 1, like LF.7 and NB.1.8, are currently the most common variants and account for two-thirds of the recorded cases in Singapore. India is also not left behind in being affected by these cases, currently, there are about 93 active COVID-19 cases in India as of May 19. Even though the jump in India is not as high as of now, however, doctors do believe that India could witness a similar surge, considering the drop in immunity of the population. 'The recent surge in countries like Hong Kong and China is being linked to waning antibodies, and the same could hold true for India,' Dr Vikas Maurya, Senior Director and Head of Pulmonology at Fortis Shalimar Bagh, told ET HealthWorld.
He further added, 'It is possible that India might see a similar spike. In China, the rise in cases is attributed to decreased antibodies or immunity over time — the same could happen here. Many people in India were vaccinated a long time ago. If their immunity has dropped, more individuals could catch and spread the infection'.
Dr. Sandeep Budhiraja, Group Medical Director, Max Healthcare, also emphasised the unusual timing of this spread because he believes that respiratory issues are typically not at peak in summer. 'What is disturbing is that this wave is increasingly affecting populations in Southeast Asia during the summer months — a time when respiratory viruses typically don't peak,' Budhiraja added.
'COVID-19 has never truly disappeared — it has lingered in an endemic form, occasionally causing local or regional outbreaks. As immunity diminishes over time, especially among vulnerable groups like the elderly or those with comorbidities, the virus finds an opportunity to spread,' Budhiraja said.
The BA.2.86 variant is a descendant of the JN1 variant. It is also called Pirola and was initially seen in August 2023. In December, the World Health Organisation labeled it a 'Variant of Interest.' It possesses approximately 30 mutations that make it evade immunity more efficiently compared to most prior variants. While BA.2.86 did not achieve dominance, JN.1 evolved greater transmission capacity through further mutations, according to Johns Hopkins University.
Yale Medicine also adds that JN.1 is slightly different from its parent strain because it has a single mutation in its spike protein, which could potentially give it an advantage in evading the immune system, although this would require further research.
Symptoms are mostly the same as previous strains. Individuals affected by JN.1 might have sore throat, fever, cough, runny or stuffy nose, tiredness, body pain, and sometimes loss of smell or taste. Most of the mild infections are self-manageable at home, but individuals with low immunity should remain cautious.