Spiking COVID-19 cases detected in wastewater have prompted some scientists to ask whether JN.1, the strain driving an explosive winter surge, is selectively targeting peoples’ intestinal tracts.
The evidence is extremely limited and theoretical, and there’s no data suggesting that more people are experiencing severe digestive illnesses from COVID. Yet there’s no question that the coronavirus has changed its requirements for entering cells, said Sydney virologist Stuart Turville. This may be consistent with more efficient infection of particular tissues including the gut.
