New Covid variant, more contagious but not more serious, causes infections

Now these are new variants, derivatives of JN-1, called KP.1 and KP.2 and which are among the so-called Flirt (a collection of variants caused by changes in viral proteins) that are under close surveillance not because of health risks, but because of their high transmission potential.

In the US, the KP.2 variant has alerted the medical community due to its rapid spread. According to data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention In the US (CDS), 25% of new cases are caused by this version of the virus. The number of infections has also increased in Europe and the UK.

First cases of these new variants in Spain (KP.1 and KP.2) They have already been detected in reference hospitals, and epidemiological surveillance systems have recorded an unusual increase in Covid cases (without specifying the causative variant). The first surge in infections was reported Madrid Institute of Health Carlos IIIand last week some leading hospitals such as Val d’Hebron in Barcelona or Germans Trias de Badalona (Barcelona) have already certified the use of this new option in their factories.

According to the latest data from Surveillance system for acute respiratory infections (SiVIRA), regarding the week from 6 to 12 May, 24.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants were detected in primary health care, almost three times more than in the previous week. The upward trend, according to experts, will continue in the coming weeks.

In a statement to ABC, an epidemiologist from the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona: Anthony Trilla, ensures that these new variants (KP.1 and KP.2), despite being much more contagious than previous ones, do not a priori pose a health risk. “There is nothing at this point that indicates to us that the symptoms of this variant will be more severe or lead to more hospitalizations,” Trilla says, and recalls that the symptoms it causes are the same as previous variants (from cough to diarrhea, sore throat or loss of taste and smell). However, he considers it quite possible that cases are increasing there will be a new wave of infections in the coming weeks.

The epidemiologist sends a signal of calm and clarifies that the population is “perfectly protected by the current immunity.” “This does not mean, as has happened so far, that serious four diseases can occur in the highest risk groups,” he notes. Thresh. Despite reports of calm, the Catalan expert releases the latest information that reduces calm, stating that “WHO has placed these new variants in surveillance category number 1, classifying them as variants under surveillance (VUM for its English acronym). “It’s not something to be alarmed about, just knowing that the WHO is keeping an eye on them,” Trilla concludes.