The key facts

  • The new SARS-CoV-2 variant PJ.2.1 was first detected in May 2026 in the province of Ontario (Canada)
  • The WHO reports its spread across several continents, including Canada, the United States, and Europe
  • There is currently no clinical data indicating a more severe course of the disease compared with other recent variants

New variant PJ.2.1 is spreading across continents

The World Health Organization has reported a growing risk of the global spread of a new coronavirus variant, PJ.2.1. The organization's office in Russia told the RIA Novosti news agency, which Zamon.uz cites. According to the WHO, the variant was first detected in May 2026 in the Canadian province of Ontario, and has since spread to several continents — it has been found in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Since international travel continues, the likelihood of the variant being detected in other countries is increasing.

What is known about the severity of the disease

At the same time, the WHO emphasized that there is currently no clinical data confirming that PJ.2.1 causes a more severe course of the disease compared with other recently identified variants of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, at this point, this is a warning based on the fact of the variant's geographic spread, not an assessment of its clinical danger. The publications do not provide information on any cases of PJ.2.1 being detected in Uzbekistan or on measures being taken in connection with the variant in individual countries.