KP.2 COVID-19 Variant in India: The new COVID-19 variant, KP.2, is causing a rise in cases globally. In India, nearly 100 COVID-19 cases have been reported across India.
On Wednesday, China’s Health authorities said that the variant is unlikely to trigger a new infection wave in the country. An offshoot of the Omicron strain, KP.2 was first detected in India in early January this year.
Dr Rahul Kendre, Lung transplant Physician and Interventional Pulmonologist, DPU Super Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune told Financial Express.com that new COVID variants have come up, and this time, it is not a single mutant that we need to be worried about. Rather, it is a group of mutants, collectively named FLiRT.
“It has been named FLiRT, based on the technical names for their mutations, one of which includes the letters “F” and “L”, and another of which includes the letters “R” and “T”. The FLiRT variant group comprises KP.2, KP.3, JN.1.7, JN.1.1, and KP.1.1,” Dr. Kendre told Financial Express.com.
While KP.2 is circulating faster, the other FLiRT variant, KP.1.1 variant, is not widespread yet, he said.
“The KP.2 (JN.1.11.1.2) variant is a descendant of JN.1 bearing both S:R346T and S:F456L; KP.2 has three substitutions in the S protein including the two above and additional one substitution in non-S protein compared with JN.1 KP.2 is said to be much better at evading immunity and is slightly more infectious than JN.1 variant,” he explained.
In India, especially in the Maharashtra state and Pune region, there is a rise in these new variants, and the count has reached around 100 cases.
According to Dr. Kendre, patients present with cough, fever, sore throat, and sometimes with loose motions and gastric upset. Rare cases, especially immunocompromised patients due to Diabetes, organ transplants, or any systemic illness, may present with pneumonia and breathlessness, he said.
‘KP.2 variant is spreading more rapidly’
The KP.2 variant is spreading more rapidly compared to the KP.1.1 variant, which is another FLIRT variant, Dr Tushar Tayal, Lead Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram told Financial Express.com.
“Current laboratory data indicates that while KP.2 may be the most predominant variant and is slightly more infectious than JN.1 variant, presently it is not causing severe cases. KP.2 will gradually spread to every part of the world, but we don’t foresee any potential major threat. Its behavior is likely to be the same as JN.1,” Dr. Tayal said.
The common symptoms encompass a range including sore throat, runny nose, coughing, headaches, body aches, fever, congestion, fatigue, and in severe cases, shortness of breath.
“Hence, I would say that the KP.2 variant is not something very new or dangerous as of now,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr M Wali, Senior Consultant, Department of Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital told Financial Express.com that it is rapidly transmissible but less virulent.
“The cases have not been hospitalized much so there is no much panic to be done,” he said.
How this variant has been identified?
There was an upsurge of cases in Maharashtra especially in Pune, so it is also called the Pune variant, Dr. Wali said.
“…so suddenly they identified Kp2 lineage which is a sub-variant of the FLIRT in the lineage of Omicron variants. This has been shown not to cause many deaths. Now, key points are, number one, fewer admissions are required, and number two, our Indian vaccines, do not evade immunity, but abroad it has been shown to evade the immunity of RNA vaccines, even those who had boosters. Number three, it can be detected by antigen test. So, a specific antigen test has to be done to identify Kp2 variant,” he told Financial Express.com.
He also revealed that very few deaths have been reported in India.
“Maximum, what we have data is two deaths. Otherwise, in India there were no deaths. The deaths were due to comorbid conditions, such as diabetes and immunosuppressed state,” he added.
“In KP.2 variants there are two KP 1.1 and KP.2 these are two strains and Japanese researchers have identified unique substitutions in the S protein of the KP.2 variant. So this is another difference 91 cases have been identified in total till date and JN.1 variant of which KP.2 is the sub lineage has been the main cause of concern recently,” he told Financial Express.com.
Pune recorded the highest number of KP.2 cases at 51 with Thane following about 21 cases this is what was reported recently first time in Maharashtra KP.2 variant was also identified in January by March and April it has become the dominant strain of the region.
Apart from Pune and Thane, seven cases have been reported in Amaravati and Aurangabad. Solapur had two cases and Ahmed Nagar, Nasik, Latoor and Singhli each had one case of Kp2 variant.
Notably, there are no cases reported in Mumbai.
How can you protect yourself from FLiRT variants of COVID-19?
As of now, the mortality risk associated with these variants is not established, but it’s advised to avoid social gatherings, maintain social distancing, hand hygiene, and use masks, Dr. Kendre told Financial Express.com.
Since May 3, KP.2 has been included in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of “COVID-19 variants under monitoring”. According to media reports, KP.2 is now the dominant COVID-19 strain in the US. It currently accounts for an estimated 28.2 per cent of infections there, up from 1.4 per cent in mid-March, as per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As per the latest data from CDC, while KP.2 represents 28% of the COVID cases in the US, KP.1.1 cases are 7.1% of the total cases. JN.1, JN.1.7. JN.1.16, JN.1.13.1, are widely circulating in the US currently.
The strain has also made its way to other Western countries like the UK and Australia. In Asia, Thailand has reported several KP.2 cases, with local news outlet Bangkok Post stating last week that nine infections had been detected.
