Nearly 100 cases of Covid's new FLiRT variant KP.2 found in Maharashtra: Here are the most affected cities
Maharashtra has identified 91 cases of the new Covid-19 Omicron subvariant KP.2, which has exceeded the previously prevalent JN.1 variant and is currently the main cause of infections in various countries. Pune recorded the highest number of KP.2 cases at 51, with Thane following closely behind with 20 cases, a TOI report stated.
Maharashtra initially identified cases of the KP.2 variant in January. By March and April, it had become the dominant strain in the region. Dr. Rajesh Karyakarte, who is the genome sequencing coordinator for the state, observed that although there has been an increase in cases, there has not been a corresponding rise in hospitalizations or severe cases. The small increase in cases seen by the state in March, averaging around 250 detections, is probably a result of the transmission of the KP.2 variant, which originated from JN.1, the prevalent Covid strain at the end of 2023.
Apart from Pune and Thane, seven cases were reported in Amravati and Aurangabad. Solapur had two cases, and Ahmednagar, Nashik, Latur, and Sangli each had one case of the KP.2 variant. It is notable that there were no cases reported from Mumbai.
The recently identified group of variants, collectively known as «FLiRT', primarily consists of the KP.1.1 and KP.2 strains. The nomenclature of these strains is derived from the specific mutations they possess, with one strain containing mutations represented by the letters „F' and “L', while the other strain features mutations denoted by the letters „R' and “T'. This
