USA
TODAY
The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention said it is tracking
the new COVID variant KP.3 as data shows its
dominance across the United States.
“CDC is
tracking SARS-CoV-2 variant KP.3. For the two-week period ending on June 8,
2024, CDC predicts that KP.3 is growing and will become the most common
SARS-CoV-2 lineage nationally,” CDC Spokesperson, Rosa Norman, said in a
statement to USA TODAY. “(Our agency) is working to better understand its
potential impact on public health.”
For the
two-week period starting on May 26 and ending on June 8, the government agency
data shows that KP.3 accounts for 25% of COVID cases in the U.S. and is now the
dominant variant. This knocks down previous frontrunner, the JN.1 variant, which
spread globally last winter. KP.2 is right after KP.3 and now makes up 22.5% of
cases.
The CDC uses Nowcast data tracker to project
the COVID variants over a two-week period. The tool is used to help estimate
current prevalence of variants but does not predict the future spread of the
virus, the CDC said.
Although
predictions for KP.3 has shown a prominence in the Nowcast data, the CDC wants
the public to know that the rates of infection might be lower than we expect.
“Currently,
it is estimated that KP.3 viruses make up between 16% and 37% of all SARS-CoV-2
viruses in the United States,” Norman said. “Most key COVID-19 indicators are
showing low levels of activity nationally, therefore the total number of
infections this lineage may be causing is likely low.”
Norman
also said that COVID related deaths and hospitalizations remain low since March
2020.
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Here’s
what the CDC wants you to know about the KP.3 variant.
COVID
variant you should know about:KP.3 now makes up 25% of COVID
cases
What is the KP.3 variant?
Like
JN.1 and "FLiRT" variants KP.1.1 and KP.2, KP.3 is a similar strain.
Norman explains that the KP.3 variant is, “a sublineage of the JN.1 lineage”
which come from the Omicron variant.
“KP.3
evolved from JN.1, which was the major viral lineage circulating since December
2023,” Norman said. “It is very similar to JN.1 and only has two changes in
spike compared to JN.1.”
What are symptoms of KP.3?
Norman
says the symptoms associated with KP.3 are identical to those from JN.1. They
include:
- Fever
or chills
- Cough
- Sore
throat
- Congestion
or runny nose
- Headache
- Muscle
aches
- Difficulty
breathing
- Fatigue
- New
loss of taste or smell
- "Brain
fog" (feeling less wakeful and aware)
- Gastrointestinal
symptoms (upset stomach, mild diarrhea, vomiting)
The CDC
notes that the list does not include all possible symptoms and that symptoms
may change with new variants and can vary by person.
In
general, the agency says, people with COVID-19 have a wide
range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe illness. Symptoms may
appear two to 14 days after exposure.
What changes in the rate of infection have been spotted with the
KP.3 variant?
Norman
explained how the KP.3 has two spikes, also known as the rate of infections,
unlike the JN.1 variant.
"One
of the two changes in spike was observed in recent earlier lineages, including
XBB.1.5 lineages, which were dominant throughout 2023 and the basis for the
2023–2024 vaccine formulation," she said. "The second of the two
changes were observed in some viruses circulating in fall 2021, but not since
then."
How can we protect ourselves if we are concerned about the KP.3
variant?
Norman
suggests that everyone that is 6 months old and older get the 2023–2024
COVID-19 vaccine. She said the vaccine will help to protect against any serious
illnesses from COVID.
When will the next Nowcast predictions become available?
Norman
said the next prediction which will encompass the two-week time period from
June 9 to June 22 can be seen on the CDC website on the COVID Data Tracker on
June 22.
Source
COVID
KP.3 variant: Symptoms, spread, infections, latest data from CDC (usatoday.com)
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