FLiRT
There’s a new group of Covid-19 variants within the Omicron JN.1 lineage “which have demonstrated increased transmissibility and immune resistance”.
Detected in the United States, this variant group has been named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) FLiRT variant KP.2, and is a spinoff of JN.1.11.1.
Reports suggest that it is rapidly spreading in the US.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this FLiRT variant accounted for around 25 percent of new sequenced cases
The rapid emergence and diversification of the JN.1 variant and its descendant, KP.2, which shows significant alterations in spike (S) protein structure and increased resistance to existing vaccines, underscore the necessity for further research to understand the implications for public health and vaccine development
KP.2 and KP1.1 sub lineages are descendants of the JN.1 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus with two new added spike mutations.
They are nicknamed the FLiRT group of variants; the acronym indicates two specific mutations, which when they occur together, end up conferring greater invasive properties to the virus.
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