India Registers 324 Cases of COVID-19 Variants Driving Singapore Surge

Maharashtra Reports Highest Number, with 148 Cases of KP.1 and KP.2 Variants...

India has reported 324 COVID-19 cases, comprising 290 cases of the KP.2 sub-variant and 34 cases of the KP.1 sub-variant.

These sub-variants are offshoots of JN1. It is a descendant of the Omicron variant and linked to the recent surge in cases in Singapore, according to sources from INSACOG as reported by news agency PTI on Tuesday.

The report emphasized that there is no associated increase in hospitalizations or severe cases, indicating no reason for concern or panic. It also noted that mutations will continue to occur rapidly, as this is the natural behavior of viruses like SARS-CoV-2.

According to data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), 34 cases of the KP.1 variant have been identified across seven states and union territories, with 23 of these cases reported in West Bengal.

Data compiled by the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) showed that 34 cases of KP.1 have been found across seven states and union territories. Of these, 23 cases were registered in West Bengal, four in Maharashtra, two each in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and one each in Goa, Haryana, and Uttarakhand.

Similarly, the INSACOG has traced nearly 290 cases of KP.2 across the country, with Maharashtra reporting the highest number at 148 cases. Other states and union territories reporting KP.2 cases include West Bengal (36), Gujarat (23), Rajasthan (21), Uttarakhand (16), Odisha (17), Goa (12), Uttar Pradesh (8), Karnataka (4), Haryana (3), and one case each in Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

The report further stated that the INSACOG is capable of detecting the emergence of any new variants. Samples are collected from hospitals in a structured manner to monitor any changes in the severity of the disease caused by the virus.

It is important to note that Singapore is experiencing a new wave of COVID-19, with authorities recording more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11. The cases are nearly doubling week-on-week. In response, the government has issued a health advisory recommending that people wear masks again.

The estimated number of COVID-19 infections in the week of May 5 to 11 rose to 25,900, representing a 90 per cent increase compared to the 13,700 cases in the previous week, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the predominant COVID-19 variants globally are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. The global health organization has classified KP.2 as a Variant Under Monitoring.

Scientists have also nicknamed KP.1 and KP.2 as 'FLiRT', derived from the technical names of their mutations.