JN.1 a highly contagious and fast-spreading strain that descended from the Omicron variant is now spreading fast a few months after it was detected in Thailand.
The first case of the sophisticated strain was detected in Bangkok on October 28.
Within three months, JN.1 became the most dominant strain in the country.
The highly transmissible strain is said to be the best at catching and avoiding antibodies compared to its predecessors, according to experts.
It was expected to become the most dominant strain in Thailand since last month.
JN.1 is the second most common strain in the U.S., based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The new variant has spread across 41 countries and has been classified as a ‘variant of interest’ by the World Health Organization.
The rise of the highly transmissible strain in Thailand comes at a time when local doctors warned pregnant women to undergo tests amid surging cases of the Zika virus. The mosquito-borne virus infected more than 750 people and caused birth deformities among 13 babies in 2013.
