United States: The data obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicated that there is a new COVID variant, referred to as the KP.3rd variant, and the one rising to prominence across the United States, is the distinct variant.
More about the news
According to the government agency data, they targeted different areas across the country for two weeks, starting from May 26 and continuing up to June 8, and KP.3 accounted for 25 percent of COVID cases in the US, which is now the dominant variant.
This displaces the JN, which was hitherto variant active last winter across the globe. KP.2, then right after KP.3, and now makes up 22.5 percent of cases, as USA Today reported.
The CDC depends on the Nowcast data tracker to model COVID variants over a two-weeks forecasting period.
It clarifies that such tool is, indeed, employed to estimate modern prevalence of variants but cannot predict the virus‘ further dissemination in the future.
More about KP.3
Like JN.1 and “FLiRT” versions, KP.1.1 and KP.2, KP.3 are by far of similar strand.
The CDC has not yet responded to questions from USA TODAY about the variant but plans to gather more data to provide further details about the virus, as USA Today reported.
COVID-19 status in the US
The rates for deaths and for those getting hospitalized have greatly reduced; however, on the same note, the rates for positivity and for emergency room visits have also increased.
In a recent report, the CDC noted on June 4 that “COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 30 states.”
Fall vaccine of COVID for KP.3
The dominance of the KP.3 variant comes following the meetings of the FDA panel to deliberate on changes to a COVID vaccine for the fall.
Speaking at the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the representatives from the various vaccine manufacturing companies, including Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, all stated that they were ready to manufacture JN. 1 – targeted vaccines that will be available in August, provided that the Food and Drug Administration gives approval.
These new vaccines should be available in the coming few months and are hoped to be effective against a possible increase in COVID-19 cases during winter.