New COVID Variant Could Cause Spike In VA Cases: What To Know

VIRGINIA — The new KP.2 variant nicknamed FLiRT could cause an uptick in COVID-19 cases in Virginia and around the country this summer, disease experts are warning.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released Friday showed the KP.2 variant represents 28 percent of new COVID infections from April 14-27, up from just 6 percent.

The variants collectively known as FLiRT include KP.2 and another variant, KP.1.1, both of which are descendants of JN.1. They share the same mutation, changes in the spike protein that allows the virus to colonize in the body and make people sick

In the HHS Region 3, which includes Virginia, the KP.2 variant was responsible for 12.7 percent of COVID cases from April 27 to May 11.

The nickname FLiRT references the technical names of its mutations, F4561 and R346T, and are part of SARS-CoV-2’s Omicron lineage.

The CDC said there is no indication people will get any sicker with KP.2 than with other strains. The KP.2 variant overtook JN.1 as the dominant strain. Symptoms are similar, although the CDC cautioned they may vary among people and may change with new variants.

Laboratory research from Japan, which has not yet been peer-reviewed and was published as a preprint, suggests the mutations may be able to bypass vaccines.

“It looks like those additional mutations make it more immune evasive, so it’s not a surprise that it would then dominate,” Dr. Dan Barouch, director of the Center for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, told NBC News.

According to the research from Japan, the KP.2 variant may be less efficient than its predecessors at infecting cells. The current vaccines should provide some protection against KP.2, according to experts.

However, vaccine coverage is waning nationwide, with only 22.6 percent of U.S. adults currently protected by the updated 2023-24 COVID vaccine rolled out in September 2023, according to CDC data. Vaccine protection increased by age groups, with the highest coverage among adults 75 and older.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 reached record lows in April, and the CDC no longer requires hospitals to report admissions numbers. Experts say that while serious cases requiring hospitalization may increase this summer, as they have every summer since the pandemic began in 2020, the rise won’t be nearly as dramatic.

As of Tuesday, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Virginia were low, according to state health data.

The CDC updated its COVID-19 guidance in March, ending its recommendation that people who test positive for the virus isolate for five days. However, the agency still recommends that people take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID, or any other common respiratory disease, including staying home when they’re sick, staying up-to-date on vaccines and properly washing their hands.