The Latest COVID Variant in Louisiana Has Bizarre New Symptoms

BATON ROUGE, La. (KPEL News) - Thankfully, this year's flu season - which hit Louisiana hard earlier in the winter - is winding down. Even better, the state really isn't seeing any movement on the COVID-19 front.

But that doesn't mean we aren't still seeing some folks test positive. In fact, some people who are testing positive for COVID-19 are showing up with a new variant.

This particular strain is descended from the Omicron variant of the virus, and it is proving to have some bizarre, new symptoms previous strains did not.

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Regular updates from reliable health authorities are continuing to provide crucial information to understand the current state of COVID-19, which kicked off a global pandemic and health crisis. Those updates continue to attempt to guide civilians in making the right health decisions for themselves.

However, several of those sources of information - from the CDC to other public health agencies - have been updating less frequently as the overall spread of COVID-19 has slowed significantly since the initial pandemic broke out.

What Is JN. 1?

According to reports, this new strain became dominant in the U.S. in December, making up 30 percent of new cases in recent weeks and growing fast.

The CDC is backing this up, stating that "The continued growth of JN.1 suggests that it is either more transmissible or better at evading our immune systems." They also noted that "the rapid growth of JN.1 compared with other variants raises the question of whether this variant might drive an incremental increase in infections."

However, the government agency is also noting that "there is no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health relative to other currently circulating variants."

What Are the New Symptoms?

"It is not currently known whether JN.1 infection produces different symptoms from other variants. In general, symptoms of COVID-19 tend to be similar across variants," the CDC said.

However, there are some reports that suggest some unique symptoms are appearing among those who test positive for the strain.

Trouble Sleeping: 10.8 percent of those diagnosed reported trouble sleeping.

Increased Anxiety: 10.5 percent of those diagnosed reported more anxiety.

At Risk in Louisiana

As of right now, the number of cases is extremely low in Louisiana. Again, a lot of this is probably related to the fact that flu (and, to a lesser extent, RSV) is so prevalent in the state right now.

However, it's crucial to recognize that the seriousness of COVID-19 can fluctuate. New variants may pose challenges, and breakthrough infections can occur, albeit with milder outcomes. Public health measures, vaccination campaigns, and individual behaviors continue to influence the overall impact of the virus across the country.

One child has died in Louisiana as a result of the flu, and the increasing rate of infection is causing concern among health officials. Thankfully, COVID rates remain low.

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Additionally, improved understanding of the virus and advancements in medical treatments have led to more effective management of COVID-19 cases. Early in the pandemic, uncertainty about the virus, limited treatment options, and overwhelmed healthcare systems contributed to a heightened sense of severity.