iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The KP.3.1.1 Covid-19 variant, now the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant circulating in the US, has been causing a surge in infections in the country, the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed.
KP.3.1.1, of the Omicron family, is among many currently co-circulating JN.1-derived variants in the US, Xinhua news agency reported.
For the two-week period ending August 17, KP.3.1.1 is predicted to account for between 31% and 43% of Covid-19 clinical specimens, compared to between 20% and 26% for the two-week period ending August 3, according to the latest CDC data.
The rise in prevalence of KP.3.1.1 comes as markers of Covid-19 activity, including test positivity, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, remain elevated, particularly among adults aged 65 years and older and children younger than 2 years.
CDC recommends that the public get coronavirus vaccines to protect against serious illness from Covid-19 infection.
Updated Covid-19 vaccines that can provide protection during the 2024 to 2025 respiratory virus season will be available in the fall, according to the agency.
