15 Jan 2024. As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, a warning from Chinese health authorities in January 2024 has sounded alarm bells. The health authorities have pointed towards a potential rebound of COVID-19 cases in the country, with the JN.1 variant strain possibly becoming the dominant variant. This comes at a time when China is witnessing a decline in domestic influenza and population immunity, coupled with the continuous importation of the JN.1 variant strain.