Fulda (fp) – The currently rampant “new” variant of the Sars-Covid-19 virus, called KP 3.1.1., is considered to be more contagious than its predecessors because it reproduces faster. Whether this will also lead to an increase in the number of infections, whether it will lead to serious cases and how well existing immunization in the population works against the virus will become clear in the coming weeks and months. Currently, only a few people with a Covid-19 infection are being treated at the Fulda Clinic.
It cannot be said which variant the few patients with Covid-19 infection currently being treated at the Fulda Clinic – none of them are in the intensive care unit – have. “In principle, no more genotyping (subline analyses) is carried out at the Fulda Clinic, as this has no effect on treatment,” explains Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Thomas Menzel, spokesman for the board of the Fulda Clinic. The incidence in Germany is currently 600 patients per 100,000 inhabitants. This means that the number of infections has fallen compared to previous weeks, says Menzel: “With a total of around 5.8 million acute respiratory diseases estimated, the estimated Covid-19 incidence in the population in recent weeks has been in a range between 700 and 900 Covid-19 diseases per 100,000 inhabitants.” The activity of acute respiratory diseases in Germany, on the other hand, has increased significantly compared to the previous week – in random samples, an infection with Sars-Cov-2 was responsible for the infection in 16 percent of cases.
“There are currently various sublines circulating that are derived from the JN.1 variant, which in turn is an offshoot of the well-known Omicron variant,” explains Menzel about the new variant: “These include the sublines KP.2, KP.3 and KP.3.1.1. The sublines KP.2 and KP.3 have been classified by the WHO as so-called VUM (variant under monitoring/observation) since May 3, 2024, and the subline KP.3.1.1 since July 19, 2024.” The latter has shown a steadily increasing proportion in recent weeks and currently accounts for 62 percent of all detected Sars-Cov-2 infections. According to the WHO, both the subline KP.3.1.1 and the other variants under observation currently pose only a low risk to public health, explains Menzel.
“According to initial findings, the KP.3.1.1 variant could have a significant ‘fitness advantage’ over its predecessors because it reproduces itself much faster than the previous variants,” explains the board spokesman: “This can make KP.3.1.1 more contagious and more difficult for human antibodies to fight off.” Whether the new variant could cause severe infections and how well immunization in the population will work against the variant cannot yet be predicted at this point. “According to reports, the symptoms of KP.3.1.1 are comparable to those of previous corona variants: fever, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle pain, breathing problems and loss of smell and taste,” says Menzel, and it can currently be assumed that the current vaccines will continue to offer protection. An adapted Biontech vaccine has also been available in Germany since mid-August. This autumn, the Standing Committee on Vaccination recommends that all people over the age of 60, people with pre-existing medical conditions or employees in the healthcare sector receive a booster vaccination with the updated vaccines.
