COVID Warning as New KP.3.1.1 Variant Rises to US Dominance: 'Buckle Up'
A new coronavirus variant named KP.3.1.1 has risen to dominance in the U.S., almost doubling in prevalence in just two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.
Experts are warning that the new variant—which, as of August 3, accounts for more than 1 in 4 U.S. COVID-19 cases—is "more of a challenge" to our immune systems compared to previous variants.
The new variant is a sub-lineage of the previously dominant KP.3, which rose to prominence at the end of May. Together, KP.3.1.1 and KP.3 account for almost half of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S., as the virus continues to spread amid a "summer wave" of infections.
Both KP.3.1.1 and KP.3 belong to a new class of variants nicknamed the "FLiRT" variants. They are named after the mutations in the projections on the virus' surface that allow them to enter our cells. These projections, known as spike proteins, are also used as targets by our immune systems and vaccinations.
According to early analysis (that has not been peer-reviewed), KP.3.1.1 is significantly more infectious than previous variants, including KP.3. It may also be better at evading our immune systems and immunity conveyed by existing vaccines.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Eric Topol, a professor of molecular medicine at Scripps Research, said that the new variant was "more of a challenge to our immune response than KP.3 and prior variants."
"Buckle up; this wave isn't over yet [due to] KP.3.1.1's emergence," he added in another post.
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The rise of KP.3.1.1 follows a surge in COVID-19 detection in wastewater surveys around the U.S., with "very high" levels being detected in 20 states, according to the CDC.
However, while the CDC has reported a steady increase in infections across the U.S. in recent weeks, hospitalizations remain relatively low. From what we have seen so far, the new FLiRT variants, while more infectious, do not generally cause severe symptoms. Still, it is important to isolate yourself from others if you begin to develop symptoms.
According to the CDC, symptoms include the following:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
