Categories: Health

Covid FLiRT variant detected in Euskadi

Alpha, beta, delta, kraken, omicron… From time to time a new variant of covid appears and becomes dominant. During these four years, several transmission lines emerged and spread to others due to their greater contagiousness. Since the end of last year this … The JN.1 mutation, the evolution of the omicron, occupied a predominant position. Now this situation appears to be about to change.

In recent days, Osakidetza identified the presence of the FLiRT variant in Euskadi, a mutation first discovered in the United States several months ago and which was established there in May this year as the dominant lineage. The same thing happens in the United Kingdom. In fact, this is not a single mutation. It consists of five different viral variations that share similarities and originate from JN.1: KP.2, KP.3, JN.1.7, JN.1.1 and KP.1.1. According to reports published by the Ministry of Health, several cases of the first two cases have recently been identified in Euskadi.

At the moment, none of these variations has become dominant. The bulk of Covid infections that Osakidetza sequences are still caused by JN.1. Last week, this variant accounted for 58.9% of positives, while KP.3 remained at 12.5%. The percentage of KP.2 was even lower.

More infections and income

While waiting to see whether FLiRT will gain a foothold in the Basque Country as the most contagious variant, as it has in the US and UK, its detection in the Basque Country coincides with a rise in infections and hospitalizations. According to the latest bulletin published by the Ministry of Health, 53 people were admitted to hospital with Covid last week. That’s five times more than the 10 people hospitalized just a month ago. You’ll have to go back to mid-January to see similar numbers. What doesn’t change is the patient profile. 86.8% of people admitted to health centers last week were over 60 years of age.

If the previous trend of dominant mutations continues, FLiRT is not expected to be more severe than its predecessors. At least to date, there are no studies pointing in this direction. Typically, common variants are more contagious but also less severe. Or at least not more seriously. And we must take into account that this new sub-variant is still from the omicron family.

Osakidian offers to cure 11 sick children from Gaza

Osakidetza has offered its hospitals to treat up to 11 Gaza children with serious illnesses in the Basque Country. The central government, in collaboration with WHO, will bring in about twenty minors from Gaza in the coming days for treatment at National Health System hospitals, and Osakidetza is one of the services that has asked the ministry to take care of them. As confirmed by health sources.

Source link

Admin