CDC Data: FLiRT COVID-19 Strains Increasing in the U.S.

CDC Data: FLiRT COVID-19 Strains Increasing in the U.S.
KP.2 and KP.3 were estimated to be responsible for a combined 2 in 5 infections over the past two weeks, according to CDC estimates.
Certain FLiRT COVID-19 variants are on the rise in the U.S., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But so far, data released by health officials suggests there’s little reason to be alarmed.

.2, which is the most prevalent variant circulating in the U.S., was responsible for more than 28% of new infections in the last two weeks, according to CDC estimates released Friday. That’s up from about 20% the two weeks prior.
KP.3 – another FLiRT variant and descendent of JN.1 – was responsible for nearly 13% of new coronavirus cases, which is a jump from close to 8% in the previous estimate.

Taken together, KP.2 and KP.3 were estimated to be responsible for more than 2 in 5 new infections in recent weeks. The FLiRT COVID-19 strains don’t yet appear to produce any new or unique symptoms. Typical COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose.

COVID-19 vaccines are expected to work on the strains, but vaccine uptake for the latest updated shot was not what many hoped it would be, with fewer than 23% of adults rolling up their sleeves for it, according to CDC data.

The group of COVID-19 strains gained the nickname FLiRT from the technical terms used for their mutations. The World Health Organization this month deemed both KP.2 and KP.3 “variants under monitoring,” which is a term “used to signal to public health authorities that a SARS-CoV-2 variant may require prioritized attention and monitoring.”

“The main objective of this category is to investigate if this variant (and others closely related to it) may pose an additional threat to global public health as compared to other circulating variants,” according to WHO.

KP.2 and KP.3 are also increasing globally, according to a WHO report.

The strains don’t appear to be driving an increase in COVID-19 health metrics, like deaths or hospitalizations, in the U.S. so far. COVID-19 hospitalizations recently hit their lowest level since the pandemic began. And wastewater viral activity, which can help track both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, is currently considered “minimal” on the national level, according to the CDC.

“KP.2 is the main variant in the U.S. but isn’t causing an increase in COVID-19 infections or more severe illness than other variants,” according to the CDC.

CDC vaccine advisers will meet in June to talk about the next round of COVID-19 shots and what strain or strains it should target.