A little forgotten in recent months, Covid still has great potential for annoyance ahead of it and could very well ruin our holidays. Today, experts are concerned about a new variant, KP.3, and its rapid development in the United States, a very popular destination for the French in the summer season. And the air travel generated by the Paris Olympic Games is not likely to help the situation. Little sister of KP.2, which represents 35% of Covid cases in France, PK.3 is a grandchild of Omicron and is therefore part of the group of variants nicknamed “Flirt”.
This strain appears more contagious and resistant to vaccines than the others and could therefore lead to a significant increase in cases over the summer. Also, the French health authorities point out that a new vaccination campaign for the most vulnerable began on April 15 and encourage people to continue practicing barrier gestures. Update on the situation.
An explosion in the United States
Initially detected in American wastewater, KP.3 has grown so quickly across the Atlantic that it is already the dominant strain there. Since the beginning of June, it represented 25% of Cobid-19 cases, according to data from the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention).
And she may well have already crossed the ocean. In France, KP.3 has already been identified but is currently circulating at low levels, reassures Santé Publique France. But if the signals remain weak today, they will need to be monitored closely in the coming weeks, because this new strain is particularly contagious.
A highly contagious variant but with “classic” symptoms
According to Dr. William Schaffner, infectious disease specialist and professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, this new variant is “ quite good at moving from one person to another » et « very contagious ” due to an additional mutation (F456L) in its spike protein. The same one that latches onto our cells to infect us.
Experts therefore fear a potential “summer wave”. A sub-variant has already been identified, KP.3.1.1, and could spread even faster. However, the symptoms are mild and “remain those of a classic upper respiratory tract infection », Explains Schaffner to the American media Today. So understand fever, chills, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, possible loss of taste and smell, nausea, vomiting, runny nose and diarrhea, all the same. Existing antiviral drugs, such as ibuprofen for example, would act against KP.3.
As a reminder, certain illnesses or situations can complicate the treatment of Covid-19 infection, indicates Health Insurance. Also, if you have symptoms suggestive of this disease, call your doctor. All the more so if you are a so-called “vulnerable” person, i.e. likely to develop a serious form.
