United States: The KP.3 COVID-19 variant is now the most common one, according to the latest CDC data. From June 23 to July 6, the CDC’s Nowcast data tracker showed that KP.3 made up 36.9% of positive COVID-19 cases, while the KP.2 variant accounted for 24.4%.
KP.3 Leading COVID-19 Cases
As reported in USTODAY, The CDC says that KP.3 is expected to keep growing and could make up between 31.2% to 43% of COVID-19 cases across the country. KP.3 evolved from the JN.1 variant, which had been the main variant since December 2023.
Decline of Other Variants
This particular data also shows the new variant of LB.1 which has fallen back by almost 3 percent by accounting for 14.5 percent of the cases but was previously at 17.5 % of infections JN.1, the previous ringleader since 2023only had 1.0% of the positive cases which is a 0.6 percent decrease from the previous two-week period.
Recently in the first week of July the CDC said that the COVID-19 infections are growing in 39 states or uncertain in 10 states and declining in zero.
Here’s what you need to know about the KP.3 variant.
What exactly KP.3 variant?
Like JN.1 and FLiRT variants KP.1.1 and KP.3 resembles too much with each other, however Norman said that the KP.3 variant is, “a sublineage of the JN.1 lineage” which comes from the Omicron variant.
Symptoms of COVID-19
The CDC has not anything if KP.3 has its own specific symptoms as Norman said the symptoms associated with the KP.3 are very similar to those from JN.1, however, the government agency outlines the basic symptoms of COVID and is also mentioned the the website. These symptoms can really appear between two to 14 days after the exposure to to the virus and can range from the mild to severe.
There are some of the symptoms of the COVID:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of the breath or difficulty breathing
- Tiredness
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches.
Protecting ourselves from KP.3 or other COVID variants:
The CDC also recommends for everyone ages 6 months and older, with some exceptions, receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the disease, regardless whether or not you have previously been vaccinated against the virus.