Currently circulating variants of concern (VOCs) as of 15 March 2023
Note: To better reflect the current variant landscape, which is dominated by Omicron descendent lineages, WHO updated its tracking system and working definitions of VOCs and VOIs on 15 March 2023.
Currently circulating variants of interest (VOIs) (as of 2 December 2024)
| Pango lineage | Next strain clade | Genetic features | Earliest documented samples | Date of designation and risk assessments |
JN.1#
| 24A | BA.2.86 + S:L455S | 25-08-2023 | 18-12-2023 JN.1 Initial Risk Evaluation 18 December 2023 JN.1 Updated Risk Evaluation 9 February 2024 JN.1 Updated Risk Evaluation 15 April 2024
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#Excludes JN.1 sublineages listed as VUMs below.
Currently circulating variants under monitoring (VUMs) (as of 23 Feb. 2026)
| Pango lineage | Next strain clade | Genetic features | Earliest documented samples | Date of designation and risk assessments |
| KP.3.1.1 | 24E | KP.3 + S:S31- | 27-03-2024 | 19-07-2024 |
| NB.1.8.1 | 25B | JN1 + S:T22N, S:F59S, S:G184S,S:A435S, S:F456L, S:T478I, S:Q493E | 22-01-2025 | 23-05-2025 NB.1.8.1 Initial Risk Evaluation 23 May 2025 |
| XFG | 25C | JN1 + S:T22N, S:S31P, S:K182R, S:R190S, S:R346T, S:K444R, S:V445R, S:F456L, S:N487D, S:Q493E, S:T572I | 27-01-2025 | 25-06-2025 XFG Initial Risk Evaluation 25 June 2025 |
| BA.3.2 | Relative to Index: P9L, R21T, P26L, A67V, H69-, V70-, T95I, I101T, C136-, N137-, D138-, P139-, F140-, L141-, G142-, V143-, Y144-, Y145-, H146-, K147-, F157S, N164K, S172F, K187T, N211-, L212I, A243-, L244-, P251S, I326V, G339Y, A348P, S371F, S373P, S375F, R403K, D405N, R408S, K417N, A435S, N440R, V445A, G446D, L452W, N460K, S477N, T478N, E484K, G496S, Q498R, N501Y , K529N, E554D, E583D, D614G, H625R, N641K, V642G, E654K, H655Y , N679R, P681R, A688D, S704L, N764K, K795T, D796Y , A852K, S939F, Q954H, N969K, P1162R, D1184E | 22-11-2024 | 05-12-2025 BA.3.2 Initial Risk Evaluation 05 December 2025 |
Technical Advisory Groups
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Networks
Publications
All →WHO guiding principles for pathogen genome data sharing
WHO encourages the sharing of pathogen genome data to protect global public health. Sharing of pathogen genome data is critical for preventing, detecting,...
This document aims to describe a minimum set of surveillance activities recommended at the national level to detect and monitor the relative prevalence...
SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequencing for public health goals: Interim guidance, 8 January 2021
The growing understanding of how sequence information can contribute to improved public health is driving global investments in sequencing facilities and...
Genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2: a guide to implementation for maximum impact on public health
Sequencing enabled the world to rapidly identify SARS-CoV-2 and develop diagnostic tests and other tools for outbreak management. Continued genome sequencing...
