All you need to know about new strain JN. 1: Surprise group that appears less likely to catch Covid

The new Covid strain sweeping Victoria and causing hundreds of hospitalisations daily has “enhanced immune evasion capabilities”. Here’s what we know about mutant JN. 1 and how it is spreading.

The new Covid strain sweeping Victoria and causing hundreds of hospitalisations daily has “enhanced immune evasion capabilities” according to the World Health Organisation, which is closely monitoring its global spread.

Here’s what we know about mutant JN.1.

About Covid JN. 1

JN. 1 is a sublineage of BA. 2.86, which was dubbed Covid Pirola

JN. 1is now the most dominant Covid strain in Victoria, after taking off in December

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified JN. 1 as a “variant of interest” and is monitoring it closely

JN. 1 may have increased capabilities to evade the immune system and be more contagious

Current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN. 1 and other circulating variants of the Covid-19 virus

JN. 1 does not appear to cause more severe illness than previous strains and its symptoms are similar

What the WHO says about JN. 1

“Based on its genetic features, JN. 1 may possess some antigenic advantage evading previous immunity. With the limited data at this stage, the available evidence on JN. 1 does not suggest additional public health risks relative to the other currently circulating Omicron descendent lineages. While there is a rapid increase in JN. 1 infections, and likely increase in cases, available limited evidence does not suggest that the associated disease severity is higher as compared to other circulating variants. The risk evaluation will be updated as more evidence arises.”

Antibody escape

“JN. 1 in comparison with parent BA. 2.86 lineage carries the additional spike mutation L455S that significantly enhances immune evasion capabilities. Variants such as HK. 3 that carry the L455F mutation have been shown to possess increased transmissibility and immune escape ability compared to the parental EG.5.1 variant.”

JN. 1 Symptoms

Sore throat

Congestion

Runny nose

Cough

Fatigue

Headache

Muscle aches

Fever or chills

Loss of sense of taste or smell

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhoea

Victorian chief health office JN. 1 advice

Wear a mask in public

Open windows and doors, and meet outdoors when and where possible

Get a vax booster if eligible

Stay home if feeling/showing any symptoms

Test for Covid if you suspect you may have it

Ask your doctor about antivirals if very unwell

DIET THAT MAY WARD OFF COVID

Vegetarians and vegans appear nearly 40 per cent less likely to contract Covid than meat eaters, with a new study showing their predominantly plant-based diet could be helping their immune systems ward off the virus.

It comes as the new Covid mutant strain JN. 1 surges across Victoria, causing hundreds of hospitalisations each day.

But an international study just published in the esteemed journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health reveals people who eat plant-based diets could be at lower risk of getting Covid, with researchers saying it’s possible their higher intake of nutrients from vegetables could be helping the way their immune systems respond to the virus.

“The researchers say even after adjusting for other variables such as weight and levels of physical activity, participants who reported following a mainly vegetarian diet were less likely to have been infected with Covid-19,” a journal article summary concluded.

Nutrients from vegetables could be helping vegans ward off Covid.

“The findings prompt the researchers to suggest that a diet high in vegetables, legumes and nuts, and low in dairy products and meat, may help to ward off the infection … those who reported following predominantly plant-based or vegetarian diets routinely ate more vegetables, legumes, and nuts, and less/no dairy and meat.”

There were no significant differences in sex, age or vaccination status between the omnivores and plant-based groups studied, it added.

The Brazilian study — which evaluated the impact of dietary patterns on the incidence, severity, and duration of Covid infection in 702 adult volunteers between March and July 2022 — found the meat eaters in the group had a significantly higher incidence of Covid than the vegetarians.

“Those following a predominantly plant-based or vegetarian/vegan diet were 39 per cent less likely to become infected than the omnivores,” the study summary notes.

Meat eaters were also more likely to have had moderate to severe Covid infections than the vegetarians, it states.

“Our results suggest that a plant-based diet and mainly vegetarian diet may be considered for protection against infection with Covid-19,” the researchers, led by the University of São Paulo’s Dr Júlio César Acosta-Navarro, concluded.

The study concludes that a mainly vegetarian diet could be considered for protection against infection from Covid-19.

However, senior visiting academic associate for the Global Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health Shane McAuliffe said the impact of diet on Covid required “more rigorous and high quality investigation” before any firm conclusions could be drawn on whether particular dietary patterns increased the risk of Covid infection.

Nearly 380 Victorians a day were hospitalised with Covid last week, as health authorities stepped up warnings on the potentially lasting and life-altering consequences of the virus.

The Victorian Department of Health on January 5 revealed an average of 377 people had been hospitalised with Covid each day that week, up from 307 a day the week before.

The seven-day average of patients in intensive care had also increased, from 19 to 23 — and, tragically, 168 Victorians died in the most recent reporting period of November 22 to December 19, 2023.

The new, highly-contagious variant JN. 1 — that took off in Victoria in December — is now dominant in the state and causing mass infections.