By Hannah Murphy
The JN.1 variant may cause infection in a way we haven’t seen before.
COVID-19 has been adapting and changing since it first emerged at the end of2019, but experts think the latest trick up the virus’ sleeve might be that it is now targeting the gut.
Although there is not yet any definitive proof that COVID is causing more widespread gastrointestinal (GI) issues in people who contract the virus, some experts are noticing trends in wastewater data that could indicate such.
Several countries, including Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and Singapore, have all reported significant increases in wastewater levels. The same is being observed in the United States.
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that the viral activity level for COVID is currently “very high” in the U.S., with the midwest seeing the highest levels. The numbers are on track to meet or exceed COVID wastewater levels observed this same time last year when nearly 40,000 people were hospitalized with the virus in the U.S.
“People are detecting it in wastewater at as high a rate as they were detecting omicron when it first emerged,” said Kanta Subbarao, M.D.,who chairs the WHO’s technical advisory group on COVID vaccine composition, according to a Seattle Times report. “But so far, we’re not seeing a parallel or concomitant increase in hospitalization. I think we have to watch that space.”
The rise in wastewater levels has coincided with the rapid spread of the JN.1 variant . The budding strain is believed to be more transmissible. In early November, JN.1 accounted for around 3.5% of COVID cases, and in the month since then, cases have quickly climbed to more than 44%.
The rise in wastewater levels could also be due to the heightened spread of JN.1, rather than the virus causing more GI symptoms, Dr. Subbarao noted.
So far, JN.1 has not been linked with more serious illness and there have not been widespread reports of the variant causing any new symptoms.
Experts have urged anyone who has viral symptoms to get tested in order to know what is causing their illness, so that they can be treated appropriately.