Over four year since it was formally declared a pandemic , COVID-19 is yet to be consign to the common gang of winter - go around respiratory bugs . Instead , cases are currently estimated to be on the up in the US , with one variate of the virus dominating – KP.3 .
“ As of July 23 , 2024 , we reckon that COVID-19 infection are growing or likely growing in 36 state and territories , declining or in all probability declining in 1 DoS or territory , and are stable or uncertain in 5 states and territory , ” say the CDC inits latest updateon the state of COVID in the US .
The CDC also has a SARS - CoV-2 surveillance programme thattracks the variantsof the virus , the most recent data point from which estimates that KP.3 is now the lead variant , account for 32.9 percent of case in the two weeks leading up to July 20 .
KP.3 is one of theFLiRT variantsof SARS - CoV-2 , first name earlier this year . These variants are rather less saucy than they fathom ; the name do from the amino acid mutations they ’ve picked up in the spike protein , the part of the virus that latches onto the cell in our bodies and leave it to infect them .
The immune scheme can get wind to recognise spike proteins – either course or through vaccination – and get free of the virus , but by evolving into slenderly different shape , the computer virus can evade devastation .
That ’s why it seems like there ’s a new variant every other calendar week – KP.3 is the latest in a foresightful line of work . In fact , FLiRT variants are all come down from another variant , JN.1 , that pop up at the beginning of this twelvemonth .
Like an unwanted endowment that keeps on giving , KP.3has also now engender its own descendent , KP.3.1.1 . It follows its relation as the second most predominant variant estimated to be circulating in the US , at 17.7 percent .
So , with cases rising , what are the signs to look out for with this particular band of variant ?
TheCDC ’s leaning of possible symptoms for KP.3 is the same as those for JN.1 :
That ’s not an thoroughgoing list by any means . “ Symptoms may change with new COVID-19 variants and can vary by person , ” the CDC state of matter . They can also appear up to two calendar week after being exposed to the virus .
As for whether vaccine will be able to tackle the newer variants , it ’s hope thatupdated vaccinesset to be released in the fall – pending FDA approval – will do the job thanks to KP.3 ’s line of descent , as epidemiologist Adrian Esterman toldNewsweek .
“ [ T]here will be a new vaccine useable around September , based on either JN.1 or one of the FLiRT subvariants , that will give much better security . "
