As per reports, the National Institute of Health (NIH) of Pakistan, on Thursday (04 January), has issued an advisory regarding the prevention and control of JN.1 sub-variant of COVID-19.

• Pakistan has decided to implement COVID-19 testing for incoming international passengers. The National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) has made this decision as a precautionary step to safeguard people from the potential spread of the new variant.
• According to the advisory, it is unlikely that JN.1 can produce a situation like the earlier phases of the COVID-19, hence its morbidity and mortality are low as of current statistics despite it rapidly replacing other sub-variants, and its transmissibility is expected to be high.
• The NIH recommended enhanced surveillance for influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) which may provide the best chance to detect earlier with prompt response in preventing outbreaks afterwards. The health authorities have been directed to send all positive samples for genomic sequencing.
• Official advisory can be availed at: https://www.nih.org.pk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Advisory%20for%20the%20Prevention%20and%20Control%20of%20JN.1%20Sub-variant%20of%20COVID-19%20virus.pdf