KP.3 Variant Dominates as COVID-19 Cases Surge Across U.S.

The Latest:

• KP.3 is currently the dominant COVID-19 variant, accounting for 36.9% of positive infections in the U.S. from June 23 to July 6, according to the CDC.
• Rosa Norman, CDC Spokesperson, stated that "KP.3 is projected to continue increasing" and evolved from JN.1, which was dominant since December 2023.
• COVID-19 infections are on the rise in 39 states, with no states showing a decline, as of July 2.
• The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the disease.

More Details:

About KP.3:

• KP.3 is a similar strain to the previous JN.1 variant and its subvariants KP.1.1 and KP.2, also known as "FLiRT."
• It is a sublineage of the Omicron variant, according to the CDC.

COVID-19 Test Positivity:

• In the past week, COVID-19 test positivity has increased by 9% nationwide.
• Five states had the biggest increase of 4.7% in positive cases from June 29 to July 5: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
• See the full list of state-by-state changes in the article or via the link provided: https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/18641955/

Symptoms:

• The CDC has stated that the symptoms associated with KP.3 are similar to those of JN.1.
• General COVID-19 symptoms can range from mild to severe and include fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, and more.
• Seek medical attention for severe symptoms, including trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion, or changes in consciousness.

Protect Yourself:

The CDC urges everyone to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines to protect themselves and others.

Original reporting by Ahjané Forbes and contributions from Emily DeLetter of USA TODAY.