COVID Omicron JN.1 Cases Found
Cambodia has detected its first four cases of the Omicron JN.1 COVID-19 variant, warning of further spread and calling for strict health measures. Photo: Thmey Thmey
- By Teng Yalirozy
- December 29, 2023 11:55 AM
PHNOM PENH – Cambodia has detected its first four cases of the Omicron JN.1 COVID-19 variant, warning of further spread and calling for strict health measures.
The patients have recovered and are now in home quarantine, the Health Ministry said on Dec. 28. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the ministry have increasingly detected COVID-19 cases in patients at hospitals and health centers.
“The Health Ministry appeals to the public to stay cautious and help prevent the spread of this new variant,” it said.
The World Health Organization classified the variant as a “Variant of Interest” not a “Variant of Concern” due to its low risks.
WHO said JN.1 may have an antigenic advantage due to its genetic features, but limited data suggests no additional public health risks compared to other Omicron lineages. The risk evaluation will be updated as more evidence emerges.
The JN.1 strain, a close relative of BA.2.86, a lineage of the Omicron variant, emerged in the US in September. The CDC estimates that JN.1 increased from 3.5 percent of COVID cases in mid-November to over 21 percent in December.
The WHO reported that the disease has spread across 41 countries, based on 7,344 submitted sequences. WHO reports France, Singapore, Canada, UK, Sweden, China, and Kerala have seen many JN.1 cases.
Symptoms are expected to be the same as other COVID-19 strains.
As of Dec. 27, Cambodia has had 139,003 coronavirus cases and 3,056 deaths. Omicron cases detected in the community total 17,173 while 21,246 cases were imported.
As of Dec. 28, more than 15 million people, equivalent to 95.73 percent of the population of 16 million have been vaccinated.
