Posts

Showing posts from March, 2024

The offshoots of JN.1 in the Evolutionary Trajectory of COVID-19

Image
While the current SARS-COV-2 viral activity levels may seem reassuring ( back to the levels seen in October-November 2023 ), the evolving world of JN.1 offshoots, where the next generation of variants is taking shape, presents a compelling case for anticipating the potential challenges that lie ahead.  From the widespread presence of JN.1.16 across continents to the emerging dominance of JN.1.13 in the U.S., the current variant landscape is rapidly shifting, although the potential implications for the future are not quite clear.  The roots of the pandemic can be traced back to lineage A, with many initial sequences originating from China and subsequently spreading globally, including to regions such as South East Asia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, the USA, and Europe. Lineage B followed as the second major haplotype, with subsequent evolutions leading to the emergence of various sublineages. In 2020, we witnessed the emergence of variants such as Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Delta (B.1.617.2