91 cases of FLiRT variants have been identified in India
Genome sequencing of March and April revealed 91 cases of KP.2 in Maharashtra -- Pune (51), Thane (20), Amravati (7), Aurangabad (7), Solapur (2), Ahmednagar (1), Nashik (1), Latur (1), and Sangli (1). The emergence of the new variants which are currently the dominating variants in the US has raised a big question: is it more infectious than its ancestors?
KP.2 is more transmissible
KP.2, which is part of the FLiRT variants, is said to be highly transmissible in nature. However, doctors have said that it is not virulent. "There is no reason to believe that the FLiRT group of variants being reported are more virulent than the existing variants," Dr Lancelot Pinto, Consultant Pulmonologist and Epidemiologist, P. D. Hinduja Hospital and MRC, Mahim, told IANS. "KP.2 appears to be more transmissible," he added.
"While KP.2 may be the most predominant variant, it is not causing a massive increase in infections," as seen in the data from other countries, Dr Tushar Tayal, Lead Consultant, Department of Internal Medicine, C.K. Birla Hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.
Why are the variants named FLiRT?
KP.1.1, and KP.2 strains are part of the new variant dubbed 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". These variants belong to the Omicron lineage which have been in circulation for the past few years. Omicron variant is highly transmissible and shows great immune escape. The KP.2 variant was first identified in January.
The FLiRT variant family also includes: KP.2, KP.3, JN.1.7, JN.1.1, and KP.1.1. As per a report by John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, “the particular mutations that people refer to as “FLiRT”s or “FLip”s refer to specific positions in the spike protein—in this case, positions 456, 346, and 572.”
What are the symptoms we need to be careful about?
So far, no new symptoms have been reported. The symptoms of the FLiRT variants include a sore throat, runny nose, congestion, tiredness, fever (with or without chills), headache, muscle pain, and sometimes loss of taste or smell.
"I had COVID recently, am I immune against FLiRT variants"
KP.2 is an offshoot of the JN.1 variant which has been in circulation for some time now. "A JN.1 infection should provide pretty strong protection against all the FLiRT variants. The difference between JN.1 and these variants is only one or two amino acid changes, so there are still a lot of other places antibodies can bind to. Infection from a variant older than JN.1 is less likely to offer as much protection," the John Hopkins report says.
New COVID variants FLiRT in India: Symptoms, severity to know
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