COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths have been steadily climbing in Texas since December. The show there were more than 19,000 new COVID-19 cases for the week of Jan. 7.
DSHS also reported a 30.4% increase in COVID-19 related deaths that week in comparison to weeks prior.
Jeffrey SoRelle, has been tracking COVID-19 variants since the pandemic began.
He said a newer variant of omicron, called JN.1, has been 鈥渄riving a lot of the increase in cases.鈥�
鈥淭his variant has actually been around since September but hasn鈥檛 really taken off until the last few months,鈥� SoRelle said.
In October, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Now, it makes up almost 85%.
SoRelle said the winter holidays and increased travel may have given the virus 鈥渢he right conditions to become more infectious and find more people to jump into.鈥�
JN.1 seems to be more infectious than previous variants. wrote it could be 鈥渙ne of the most immune-evading variants to date,鈥� and a said JN.1 had 鈥渉igher immune evasion properties鈥� compared to other omicron variants.
One way researchers measure how the virus changes over time is by looking at the spike protein, . COVID-19 variants have mutations in the spike protein, which is how SoRelle tracks how it can 鈥渆vade immunity and lead to changes in infectiousness.鈥�
He said JN.1 has more than 30 mutations in the spike protein.
鈥淲hen we see that many, that鈥檚 a very large difference that came out of nowhere, pretty much,鈥� SoRelle said.
But there isn鈥檛 evidence so far that JN.1 is causing more severe illness. SoRelle said there are some studies that have explored how the new variant is 鈥渋mpacting different kind of lung cells than it has before,鈥� but doctors haven鈥檛 seen that in patient cases yet.
SoRelle said it鈥檚 the difference between an upper respiratory infection鈥攚hich is common with RSV, the common cold, and the flu鈥攙ersus a lower respiratory infection in the lungs.
鈥淎n upper respiratory infection is, you鈥檙e coughing, or you have a runny nose, [or] sore throat,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen things start infecting the lower lungs, they prevent the air sacs from filling. Then they get filled with fluid or become inflamed and that really prevents you from breathing. That鈥檚 where people get into trouble with worse symptoms that can be more life-threatening.鈥�
The best way to prevent COVID-19 infections now, said SoRelle, is to stay up-to-date on vaccinations.
An updated COVID-19 shot came out in the fall, but uptake鈥檚 been slow鈥攐nly about 21% of adults nationally, and about 17% of Texans, have gotten the new vaccine,
鈥淢ost people have now either been exposed and infected, or vaccinated, and sometimes both,鈥� SoRelle said. 鈥淲e have a lot of built-up immunity, but there are extra tools that we have to help protect us.鈥�
And during the peak of respiratory virus season, which falls between December and February, SoRelle encourages people to stay home if they鈥檙e exhibiting symptoms, use at-home tests, and consider wear a mask in crowded or indoor spaces to prevent virus spread.
Got a tip? Email Elena Rivera at erivera@kera.org
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