New Covid-19 Variants FLiRT and LB.1 UPSC

NEW COVID VARIANTS

Source: IndianExpress

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Context

The onset of summer 2024 has seen a rise in Covid-19 cases globally, driven by new variants FLiRT and LB.1.
The variants are causing increased infections in the US, UK, and Singapore.

Details

Details of the New Variants

FLiRT Variants:
- Composition: Includes KP.2, JN.1.7, and other variants beginning with KP or JN.
- Origin: Descendants of the JN.1 variant, prominent in the US during late 2023 and early 2024.
- Prevalence: Account for over 60% of Covid-19 cases in the US, with KP.3 alone responsible for 33.1% of infections by early June 2024.
- Symptoms: Fever, cough, fatigue, and digestive issues.
- Concerns: Higher transmission rates and immune evasion.
1 Variant:
- Mutation: A mutation of the FLiRT group.
- Prevalence: Responsible for 17.5% of Covid-19 cases in the US as summer began.
- Transmission: Highly transmissible, potentially more infectious than its predecessors.

Impact of the New Variants

Transmission and Severity:
- Increased Transmission: Both FLiRT and LB.1 are more easily spread than earlier variants.
- Immune Evasion: Can infect vaccinated individuals and those with prior infections.
- Increased Hospitalization: Rise in emergency room visits and hospitalizations in affected regions.
Global Spread:
- US: Significant increase in cases and hospital visits, with Covid-19 deaths rising by 14.3% in recent weeks.
- UK and Singapore: Notable uptick in cases and hospitalizations.
- India: Detection of KP.2 and KP.1 variants.

Summary of COVID Strains identified till date

Variant Name	Lineage	Country First Detected	Detection Date	Key Spike Mutations	Transmissibility	Immune Evasion	Severity
Alpha	B.1.1.7	United Kingdom	Sep 2020	N501Y, 69-70del, P681H	Increased	Moderate	Increased
Beta	B.1.351	South Africa	May 2020	K417N, E484K, N501Y	Increased	High	Increased
Gamma	P.1	Brazil	Nov 2020	K417T, E484K, N501Y	Increased	High	Increased
Delta	B.1.617.2	India	Oct 2020	L452R, T478K, P681R	Highly Increased	Moderate	Increased
Omicron	B.1.1.529	Multiple countries	Nov 2021	S371L, G446S, Q493R	Highly Increased	High	Variable
Mu	B.1.621	Colombia	Jan 2021	R346K, E484K, N501Y	Moderate	High	Moderate
Lambda	C.37	Peru	Aug 2020	G75V, T76I, L452Q	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Epsilon	B.1.427/B.1.429	USA	May 2020	L452R, W152C	Moderate	Low	Low
Zeta	P.2	Brazil	Apr 2020	E484K	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Eta	B.1.525	Multiple countries	Dec 2020	E484K, 69-70del	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Theta	P.3	Philippines	Jan 2021	E484K, N501Y	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Iota	B.1.526	USA	Nov 2020	E484K, D253G	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Kappa	B.1.617.1	India	Oct 2020	L452R, E484Q	Increased	Moderate	Moderate

KEY POINTS

Alpha Variant: Originated in the UK with increased transmissibility and severity.
Beta Variant: Identified in South Africa, known for high immune evasion capabilities.
Gamma Variant: First detected in Brazil, it has both increased transmissibility and immune evasion.
Delta Variant: Emerged in India, highly transmissible, and associated with higher severity.
Omicron Variant: Notable for its high transmissibility and significant immune evasion, with variable severity.
Mu and Lambda Variants: Originating from Colombia and Peru respectively, both have moderate transmissibility and immune evasion.
Other Variants: Include Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, and Kappa, each with varying degrees of transmissibility, immune evasion, and severity.

Sources:

IndianExpress

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q: The emergence of the FLiRT and LB.1 variants highlights the evolving nature of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the continuous need for adaptive public health strategies. Discuss. (250 Words)