Cases of KP.3 COVID-19 Variant on the Rise in the U.S., CDC Data Shows

As of June 8, KP.3 accounts for 25% of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S., according to CDC data.

The spread of KP.3:

• Data from the CDC shows that the KP.3 variant, a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant, is now the dominant COVID-19 strain in the U.S.
• In a two-week period from May 26 to June 8, KP.3 accounted for 25% of new COVID-19 cases.
• The KP.2 strand is close behind, accounting for 22.5% of cases.

COVID-19 cases and deaths in the U.S.:

• According to CDC data as of June 10:
• Test positivity has increased by 0.4% in the last week.
• Emergency department visits for COVID-19 have risen by 16.2% in the previous week.
• 144 COVID-19 deaths were recorded in the first week of June, the lowest weekly number since March 2020.

KP.3 symptoms:

• Per CDC spokesperson Rosa Norman, symptoms of KP.3 are identical to those of the JN.1 variant, and include: fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, headache, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of taste or smell, "brain fog," and gastrointestinal issues.

Fall COVID-19 vaccine:

• An FDA panel met this month to discuss updates to the COVID-19 vaccine for fall, which will target the JN.1 variant.
• Health experts from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax stated they are prepared to make JN.1-targeted vaccines available in August, pending FDA approval.

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Nowcast data tracker
25% share of new COVID-19 cases
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emergency department visits
people with COVID-19 have a wide range of symptoms
Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee