Covid Ireland: Symptoms of new mutant strain KP.3 as huge surge in cases confirmed
Ireland's health officials have reported a rapid rise in confirmed cases of the new Covid mutant strain KP.3. They have advised the public to remain vigilant for symptoms so they can take steps to prevent spreading it in order to protect vulnerable p
Health officials have released an update on Covid in Ireland, which confirms that cases of the new mutant strain KP.3 are rapidly rising in the country.
KP.3 is part of a newly identified group of variants being dubbed 'FLiRT', which are part of Covid’s Omicron lineage. It is sometimes referred to as a mutant strain because it has undergone specific genetic mutations that distinguish it from previous versions, which can lead to increased infectivity, higher transmission rates and greater resistance to immune responses from vaccinations or past infections.
On Wednesday, Ireland’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said that KP.3 lineages accounted for 55% of all confirmed cases in the last five weeks. This marks a substantial increase from the previous five weeks, when the variant accounted for 13.4% of all reported cases.
In a statement, the HPSC said: “KP.3 lineages accounted for 55.0% of sequences for weeks 23 to 27, 2024. This compares to 13.4% for weeks 18 to 22, 2024. While KP.3 (and sublineages) appear to have a growth advantage over other variants, there is no evidence that it (or any other currently circulating lineage) is associated with more severe disease.”
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Overall, there were 982 confirmed cases of Covid notified during the week of July 14 to July 20, which is an increase of 135 on the numbers reported the previous week. The number of hospitalised cases increased by 69 during the same week to 399.
The HPSC said Covid transmission continues at moderate to high levels in Ireland. It has advised the public to remain vigilant for Covid symptoms, and to take steps to prevent spreading it in order to protect vulnerable people.
A spokesperson said: “As in previous waves, widespread circulation of COVID-19 often leads to an increase in people experiencing severe disease. Increased circulation in the community also leads to increased numbers of outbreaks in nursing homes, hospitals and other healthcare settings, putting vulnerable patients at risk of infection and leading to COVID-19-related healthcare staff shortages.
“This current wave is a reminder that COVID-19 continues to circulate throughout the year and remains a considerable burden on the population and our health services when circulation is high.
“It is important to remain vigilant for COVID-19 symptoms and take steps to prevent spread in both the community and in healthcare settings, to protect vulnerable people at high risk of severe COVID-19 disease.”
Despite the ever-evolving virus still hanging around more than four years after the pandemic first began, the symptoms remain largely the same.
C. Leilani Valdes, MD, a pathologist and medical director at Regional Pathology Associates in Victoria, Texas told health.com that people who catch KP.3 can expect to experience symptoms characteristic of other recent Covid variants He said: “KP.3 symptoms resemble typical Covid symptoms, including fever, cough, fatigue and loss of taste or smell. Some individuals may also experience a sore throat, headache or muscle pain.”
The symptoms of Covid can include:
- a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- shortness of breath
- feeling tired or exhausted
- an aching body
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- loss of appetite
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick or being sick
The HSE lists fatigue, a high temperature/having chills and a dry cough as the top three Covid symptoms to look out for. Less common symptoms of Covid, according to the HSE, include loss or change to your sense of smell or taste, runny or blocked nose, conjunctivitis, sore throat, headache, muscle or joint pain, different types of skin rash, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea and chills or dizziness.
If you have any of these symptoms, the HSE advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 48 hours after your symptoms are mostly or fully gone. If you test positive for Covid, the current advice is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days from the date you first had symptoms.
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