JN.1 variant makes up a majority of COVID cases in the US. Here's what to know
ABC News
The JN.1 variant now makes up a majority of COVID cases in the U.S., CDC data shows. Here's what you need to know.
A variant that has been circulating in the U.S. for the last couple of months currently makes up a majority of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
JN.1, a descendant of BA.2.86 -- which is itself an offshoot of the omicron variant -- now makes up an estimated 61.6% of cases in the country, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is up from the estimated 3.3% of cases the variant made up in mid-November, CDC data shows.
The Northeast is the region of the U.S. with the highest prevalence, making up an estimated 74.9% of COVID-19 cases, according to the CDC.
Last month, the World Health Organization listed JN.1 as a "variant of interest," meaning it contains changes that may result in increased spread or reduced efficacy of treatments or vaccine but is not as serious as a "variant of concern."
