A new threat of COVID-19 in Ukraine: the “Jenny” subvariant was discovered
23 January 13:50
Nine cases of infection with the new “Omicron” subvariant of the coronavirus, known as JN.1 or “Jenny”, were recorded in Ukraine during January, reported with reference to the Ministry of Health.
According to the chief state sanitary doctor Igor Kuzin, these cases were distributed among five regions of the country: three cases in Sumy Oblast, two in Volyn and Cherkasy Oblasts, and one each in Rivne and Zaporizhia Oblasts.
Kuzin emphasized that SARS-CoV-2 is constantly mutating and can evade the body’s immune response, especially affecting people with weakened immune systems. Although vaccination reduces the risk of complications, even vaccinated individuals can become infected.
“Those people who have not completed the course of vaccination against COVID-19 and persons at risk of a severe course of the disease should consult a family doctor and get vaccinated,” said Kuzin.
Among those infected, only one person was fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Mostly, the disease was mild or moderate, and only one patient was hospitalized. The age of the patients ranged from 27 to 73 years.
It became possible to detect the JN.1 subvariant in Ukraine thanks to genetic sequencing, which allows detecting mutations in the virus genome.
The Jenny subvariant was first identified in the US in September 2023. WHO classified it as a subvariant of Omicron, which is of particular interest due to its rapid spread.