Be alert : What are new Covid variants and everything you need to know
By Himavardhan Goud
Emergence
The KP.1 and KP.2 corona virus variants are sub-lineages of JN.1, which is in itself an offshoot of the omicron variant. They were first detected in Singapore and have since been found in a small number of cases in other countries, including India.
The World Health Organization has classified KP.2 as “Variant Under Monitoring”, which means that it is being closely monitored by scientists to see if it has the potential to become a more widespread variant of concern. So far there is no evidence that KP.1 and KP.2 is more severe than other variants of covid 19, but more research is needed.
SYMPTOMS
The good news is that there is no indication that KP.1 and KP.2 cause significantly different symptoms than earlier variants .This means the familiar signs of covid 19 are still the main ones to watch for which includes fever, sore throat, runny nose, fatigue etc;
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it’s important to get tested for Covid. Early diagnosis and isolation can help prevent the spread of the virus.
EFFECTS
These variants might cause more severe or milder illness compared to original strain. Difficulty in breathing may be seen in some cases. Older people, heart patients and people who did not take the vaccination can face respiratory and other immunity related problems. The transmission of these variants is way faster than the other previous variants of Covid 19.
Picture Courtesy : PTI
Vaccine efficacy
Variants may partially evade immunity provided by vaccines. Vaccines can show resistance to certain antibodies. So, it would be better for people who did not get vaccinated previously to take the Covid 19 vaccine immediately. The people who already got vaccinated should opt for taking updated booster doses.
Situation in India
A total 324 KP.1 and KP.2 cases were detected in India. As per the latest data 34 cases of KP.1 have been found across seven states and with 23 cases registered from West Bengal. The other states are Goa (1), Gujarat (2), Haryana (1), Maharashtra (4) Rajasthan (2) and Uttarakhand (1).
290 cases of the KP.2 COVID-19 variant have been reported in India, with Maharashtra having the highest number at 148. Other states and Union territories with cases include Delhi (1), Goa (12), Gujarat (23), Haryana (3), Karnataka (4), Madhya Pradesh (1), Odisha (17), Rajasthan (21), Uttar Pradesh (8), Uttarakhand (16), and West Bengal (36).
What Indian Health ministry and WHO said
If the viruses are significantly different from known strains, efforts would be made to determine the effectiveness of existing vaccines and treatments, and potentially develop new ones. Advisories would be issued to inform the public about the symptoms, transmission methods, and preventive measures related to the KP.1 and KP.2 viruses, accordingly.
Detailed genetic sequencing of the viruses would be conducted to understand their structure, mutation patterns, and potential impacts on public health. Both the Indian Health Ministry and WHO would likely increase surveillance to track the spread of the viruses. This involves monitoring infection rates, geographic spread, and any notable patterns.
Precautions
Experts are advising people to continue getting vaccinated and boosted against covid , as well as practicing other public health measures such as social distancing and mask wearing to help slow the spread of the virus. Follow the Covid 19 precautionary measures.
