Tengrinews.kz — In recent days, media outlets have been discussing the possible risk of rapid spread of a new coronavirus variant that has already been detected in several countries on different continents. Tengrinews.kz looked into how justified these concerns are, whether it could signal a new wave of COVID-19, and which coronavirus variants are currently circulating in Kazakhstan.
What is known about the new coronavirus variant
In early October, German scientists published a study describing the spread of a new coronavirus variant — PJ.2.1. It was first detected in Canada in May 2026. Since then, PJ.2.1 has also been identified in the United States and Spain.
“The variant is more frequently detected in people aged 60 and older. The same trend is seen with most other coronavirus lineages,” the scientists noted.
Experts say that international travel means the risk of further spread of the new variant remains.
At the same time, there are currently no published clinical data indicating that PJ.2.1 causes more severe disease than other recently identified coronavirus variants, RIA Novosti reports.
Could the new variant trigger another wave of COVID-19
We contacted the press service of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Healthcare to find out how dangerous the new variant may be and whether it could become dominant.
The ministry believes it is still too early to make such predictions:
“The emergence of a new genetic lineage does not in itself indicate the beginning of a new wave of the pandemic. At present, it is premature to predict its further spread or dominance.”
The Ministry of Healthcare explained that specialists assess the threat posed by new variants using several indicators:
- severity of disease;
- number of hospitalizations and deaths;
- the virus’s ability to evade existing immunity;
- effectiveness of existing preventive measures.
“The emergence of a genetically new variant does not mean that it causes more severe disease or poses an increased threat to the population,” specialists emphasized.
Which coronavirus variants are currently circulating in Kazakhstan
According to the latest genomic monitoring data, two coronavirus lineages belonging to the Omicron variant currently predominate in Kazakhstan: XFG and JN.1.
Among the samples studied, 68.7 percent were the RV.1.1 sublineage of XFG, while another 25 percent were XFG.3.
The remaining 6.3 percent were the JN.1 lineage and its RF.5.3 sublineage.
“The circulation of these viruses does not create additional risks to public health,” the Ministry of Healthcare press service said.
The new PJ.2.1 variant currently being discussed internationally has not yet been detected among the samples analyzed in Kazakhstan.
The Ministry of Healthcare said it continues to monitor COVID-19 incidence and genetic changes in the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
Kazakhstanis are advised to follow standard measures for preventing respiratory infections. If symptoms appear, people should limit contact with others and seek medical care in a timely manner.
In April 2026, scientists were also discussing another new coronavirus variant, BA.3.2, which at the time had been detected in more than 30 countries. Scientists are studying its characteristics, possible impact on vaccine effectiveness and rate of spread.
