News Excerpt:

FLiRT, a group of new Covid-19 variants belonging to Omicron's JN.1 lineage, is spreading fast in the US, raising concern about a new wave of infections in summer.

Key Points:

• With new mutations, the variants KP.2 and KP 1.1 are considered to be more infectious than previous Omicron variants, but experts say the symptoms remain more or less the same. 
• KP.2 has reported to have taken over the JN.1 variant in the US although cases of hospitalization there remain low, as per media reports. 
• KP.1.1, another FLirt variant, is also detected in the US, but seems to be less in circulation than KP.2. 

About FLiRT

• According to the Infectious Disease Society of America, the nickname 'FLiRT' is based on the technical names for their mutations. 
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reclassified it as a variant of interest and advised close monitoring.
• The most prominent FLiRT variant is KP.2, which has become the dominant strain in the U.S and accounting for around 25% of new COVID-19 cases as of April 2024.
• The FLiRT variants, especially KP.2, appear to have increased transmissibility compared to previous Omicron sub variants. 
• Just like other COVID-19 strains that have gained dominance in the U.S. over the last year — JN.1, HV.1,  EG.5 aka Eris, and XBB.1.16 or Arcturus — the FLiRT variants are part of the omicron family. 
• They also show the ability to evade immunity from prior infection and vaccines, though the extent is still under study. 
• Symptoms:
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Congestion and runny nose
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches,
• Fever or chillsLoss of taste or smell (less common with Omicron than with earlier variants)

What's new about FLiRT and what are its symptoms?

• "FLiRT is a very interesting nickname for a group of Covid variants that have been identified in the US. 
• These are descendants of the JN. 1 variant that came in last December. They carry some fresh mutations that seem to be allowing it to spread easily. 
• Its symptoms are not significantly different from the previously known Covid variants. 
• Flu like symptoms, body ache, fever and in some cases digestive issues. As such based on these symptoms, it would be hard to determine whether you have contracted this variant.