At least two experts told Reuters that while the strain can evade the immune system and transmit more easily than other currently circulating variants, it has not shown any signs of more severe disease.
While there might be more cases with the variant, JN.1 doesn't pose a greater risk, said Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
JN.1 was previously classified a variant of interest as part of its parent lineage BA.2.86, but WHO has now classified it as a separate variant of interest.
WHO said current vaccines will continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of the COVID-19 virus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said earlier this month the subvariant JN.1 makes up about an estimated 15% to 29% of cases in the United States as of Dec. 8, according to the agency's latest projections.
The CDC had said currently there was no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health relative to other currently circulating variants and an updated shot could keep Americans protected against the variant.
JN.1 was first detected in the United States in September, according to the CDC.
Last week, China detected seven infections of the COVID subvariant.
(Reporting by Mrinmay Dey and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Shailesh Kuber and Shounak Dasgupta)
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Although it's still unclear how much damage Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s candidacy can do to either Joe Biden or Donald Trump this election, Washington political columnist Eric Ham says what is clear is both sides recognize the potential threat.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
A Regina police officer was injured after another officer's gun was accidentally fired while conducting a search warrant early Friday morning.
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
The 75-year-old British monarch will slowly ease back into public life after a three-month break to focus on his treatment and recuperation after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer.
The first criminal prosecution of a former president began in earnest with opening statements and testimony in a lower Manhattan courtroom. But the action quickly spread to involve more than half a dozen cases in four states and the nation's capital. Twice during the week, lawyers for Trump were simultaneously appearing in different courtrooms.
As students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at universities across U.S. dug in Saturday and vowed to keep their demonstrations going, some universities shut down encampments after reports of antisemitic activity among the protesters.
South Africa marked 30 years since the end of apartheid and the birth of its democracy with a ceremony in the capital Saturday that included a 21-gun salute and the waving of the nation's multicolored flag.
D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Ramey Kyle said officers were called after a dispute started inside the nightclub and “spilled into the street.”
Tornadoes wreaked havoc Friday in the Midwest, causing a building to collapse with dozens of people inside and destroying and damaging hundreds of homes, many around Omaha, Neb.
Ottawa has plans to finally stop blocking Canadian development aid to Afghanistan this year.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
The federal government is earmarking $3 million for production of drones in Ukraine in support of Kyiv's fight against Russia's invasion.
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
State-sponsored actors targeted security devices used by governments around the world, according to technology firm Cisco Systems, which said the network devices are coveted intrusion points by spies.
TikTok is in the crosshairs of authorities in the U.S., where a new law threatens a nationwide ban unless its China-based parent ByteDance divests. Here are the places that have partial or total bans on TikTok.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning new image of the glowing gas ejected from a dying star, which in this case happens to resemble a 'cosmic dumbbell.'
Taking place in May in Malmo, Sweden, the 68th annual competition will see acts from 37 countries vie for the continent’s pop crown in a feelgood extravaganza that strives — not always successfully – to banish international strife and division. And you don’t have to be in Europe to watch, or to help pick the winner.
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs pushed back against a woman's lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault, filing a motion on Friday to dismiss some claims that were not under law when the alleged incident occurred.
The federal and Quebec governments are spending close to $100 million to boost the country's manufacturing capacity for semiconductors, which are vital in technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to quantum computing.
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to US $1.3 billion, or US$132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year.
Take an illustrated look back at the culinary history of Winnipeg.
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Evander Kane’s teammates believe he’s tailor-made for the playoffs, and so does the man himself.
As if a 4-0 Edmonton Oilers lead in Game 1 of their playoff series with the Los Angeles Kings wasn't good enough, what was announced at Rogers Place during the next TV timeout nearly blew the roof off the downtown arena.
Maple Leafs winger William Nylander appears on course to suit up for the first time in this spring's Stanley Cup playoffs.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Ford’s electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to US $1.3 billion, or US$132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year.
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
As if a 4-0 Edmonton Oilers lead in Game 1 of their playoff series with the Los Angeles Kings wasn't good enough, what was announced at Rogers Place during the next TV timeout nearly blew the roof off the downtown arena.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
The Grouse Grind reopens Saturday, a month earlier than it did last year thanks to unseasonably warm and dry weather.
J.T. Miller had a goal and assist and the Vancouver Canucks edged the Nashville Predators 2-1 to re-take the lead in their first-round playoff series.
The 36-year-old killed on Highway 5 this week has been identified as Juver Balmore, a husband and father of three young children who worked for CN Rail.
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
One person has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a man who fell from a balcony following an altercation inside a Toronto apartment building.
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
The Brooks Bandits got down to business Friday, defeating the Okotoks Oilers 8-2.
Calgary police took two people into custody on Friday after a stabbing in the community of Haysboro.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
Ontario Provincial Police are asking for the public's help in locating a missing man from Newfoundland who disappeared in eastern Ontario.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) asked drivers to expect delays after a single-vehicle collision on Highway 15 near Brewers Mills Road Saturday morning.
The City of Ottawa says the release of the first draft provisions for Ottawa’s new zoning bylaw marks the start of the next step of the city’s growth and development.
Montreal comic book artists Ben and Ray Lai claim Marvel and Disney are abusing the legal process in the Lai brothers' copyright infringement suit against the industry giants.
City councillor Craig Sauvé will run for the New Democratic Party (NDP) in Montreal's LaSalle-Émard-Verdun riding in the next general election.
Tens of thousands of visitors flock to Quebec's Iles-de-la-Madeleine every summer to behold its cliff-framed seascapes and sandy beaches. But starting next month, those island sojourns will come with an added cost.
Evander Kane’s teammates believe he’s tailor-made for the playoffs, and so does the man himself.
The lawyer for a residential school survivor leading a proposed class-action defamation lawsuit against the Catholic Church over residential schools says the court action is a last resort.
A cat that jumped from the balcony of a burning building in downtown Edmonton on Thursday afternoon will make a full recovery, building officials say.
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.
Officials say the purpose of the open house was to serve not only as a recruitment measure, but to allow the public the chance to see the group play in their own building.
Cape Breton Regional Police found a dead body in Sydney, N.S., Thursday evening.
The trial for the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg is set to get underway on April 29.
Nathan MacKinnon and Valeri Nichushkin scored on the power play during a five-goal, third-period outburst and the Colorado Avalanche rallied for a 6-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 on Friday night.
Parents in Gimli who rely on child care before and after school are sounding the alarm over policy changes coming in September.
RCMP have identified 28-year-old Brianna Hayes from Oxbow, Sask. as the victim in an ongoing homicide investigation in the province’s southeast. As a result, police have charged 24-year-old Taylor Japp, also from Oxbow with second degree murder, an RCMP news release said.
Youth in Yorkton can now access a new Lego Therapy program in their community through SaskAbilities.
A Regina police officer was injured after another officer's gun was accidentally fired while conducting a search warrant early Friday morning.
More than a year has passed since the City of Kitchener announced it was pausing community consultations on the future of the Queen Victoria statue in Victoria Park, and there is still no timeline for a resumption of the process.
An investor with ties to apartment buildings across Ontario appears to be connected to 250 Frederick Street in Kitchener.
Ontario’s Minister of Economic Investment, Job Creation and Trade says a number of companies have shown interest in a tract of land the Region of Waterloo is trying to assemble in Wilmot Township.
Over six months after Saskatchewan's government announced a significant $90 million investment in social services, the initiative is reportedly making progress.
The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) and Saskatchewan Coroners Service are investigating after a woman’s body was found at a recycling facility Friday morning.
Four people, including two teen girls, were arrested and charged after an attempted armed robbery on Thursday evening.
Two hunters from North Bay, Ont., and a third from Temagami pled guilty recently to offences they committed during a 2022 moose hunt.
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Ontario Provincial Police responding to a disturbance in West Nipissing this week discovered a conscious person lying in the street.
A 24-year-old man who died Friday in a car crash on Highway 401 has been identified as Omar Barzak from London, Ont.
The London Knights resumed their playoff push on Friday night against the Saginaw Spirit at Budweiser Gardens.
Efforts at city hall to get reimbursed by the federal government for costs incurred by asylum seekers might be too late.
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
A 16-year-old from Orillia has been charged with careless driving after reportedly 'skidding around' and striking a light post.
One person is dead following a single-vehicle crash in the Town of Blue Mountains.
In case you missed it, CTV News Windsor has compiled all the top local stories from this week into one video for your convenience.
Playing bingo in April made a local resident $100,000 richer -- and will keep him in his home.
Campus police are investigating after homophobic slurs were carved into the door of the University of Windsor’s Campus Pride Centre earlier this month.
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Saanich council will be discussing a report Monday prepared by Saanich Fire Chief Michael Kaye on the merits of amalgamating the fire departments of Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and Saanich.
When Art Kinarthy embarked upon this quest, he never could have imagined where it would ultimately lead.
An emaciated dachshund is now recovering thanks to a Good Samaritan who found the pup near a biking trail in Kelowna, according to the BC SPCA.
Search and rescue crews have been called in after a vehicle belonging to a missing senior was located near a rural intersection outside of Kelowna Tuesday.
Major crime detectives in British Columbia are investigating a suspected homicide after a body was found in a remote area southeast Kelowna over the weekend.
The Brooks Bandits got down to business Friday, defeating the Okotoks Oilers 8-2.
An Alberta political scientist said the NDP leadership hopefuls remained fairly even following the first of the party’s debates.
It was a busy Wednesday evening for fire crews in Lethbridge County after multiple grass fires were sparked near the Kipp rail yard.
About 100 delegates from around the province travelled to Timmins, Ont., for its annual general meeting and convention at Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa.
The City of Sault Ste. Marie is looking for community input on some design concepts for the waterfront.
Meeting next week, city council in Sault Ste. Marie will get an overview of what to expect if it decides to implement a new tax on empty homes in the city.
Legendary sportscaster Bob Cole was a Newfoundlander through and through, and his daughter says his connection to the province was 'everything' to him.
Cenovus Energy has been ordered to pay a $2.5-million fine for its role in the largest offshore oil spill ever recorded in Newfoundland and Labrador.
As more Canadians find themselves struggling to afford or find housing, the country's smallest province is the only one that can point to legislation recognizing housing as a human right.
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