New Covid Variant KP.2 Emerges in California: Potential Summer Surge Amidst Increasing Wastewater Levels and Travel

California, United States United States of America
California experiencing increase in Covid cases due to new variant KP.2
Concerns for potential summer surge in cases across California and nation
Dr. Ashish Jha expects summer wave of Covid-19 cases due to travel and air-conditioned gatherings
KP.2 belongs to FLiRT variants subset of Omicron tree variants
KP.2 overtaking dominant Covid variant in US
KP.2 shares three mutations with first departing variant from original Wuhan virus: D614G, P323L, C241U
One change from JN.1 in KP.2 could impact F456L, possibly enhancing ACE2 binding affinity or decreasing antibody binding efficiency
V1104L added to S2 subunit of spike protein in KP.2 may improve fusion with host cell membrane and viral genome entry
Wastewater levels increasing since mid-May, particularly in West where California has highest levels
New Covid Variant KP.2 Emerges in California: Potential Summer Surge Amidst Increasing Wastewater Levels and Travel

California and other parts of the country are experiencing an increase in Covid cases due to the emergence of a new variant called KP.2, which is overtaking the dominant Covid variant in the US. This raises concerns for a potential summer surge in cases across California and the nation. The rate of Covid spread has been relatively low this year due to immunity from vaccines and past infections, but wastewater levels have been increasing since mid-May, particularly in the West where California has the highest levels. Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and former White House COVID-19 response coordinator, expects a summer wave of Covid-19 cases due to travel and air-conditioned gatherings. The new variant KP.2 belongs to a group called FLiRT variants which are a subset of Omicron tree variants. One change from JN.1 in KP.2 could significantly impact F456L, possibly enhancing ACE2 binding affinity or decreasing antibody binding efficiency, and V1104L has been added to the S2 subunit of the spike protein in KP.2 which may improve the efficiency of fusion with host cell membrane and viral genome entry. The variant shares three mutations with the first departing variant from the original Wuhan virus: D614G in the spike, P323L in NSP12, and C241U synonymous mutation. Synonymous mutations in KP.2 influence the tertiary structure of its RNA and can contribute to adaptation to human host environment, impacting the abundance of viral proteins and immune responses in infected individuals.


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Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any other factors contributing to the increase in Covid cases besides KP.2?
  • Is the potential summer surge a certainty or just a possibility?
  • What is the exact impact of F456L and V1104L mutations on ACE2 binding affinity and antibody binding efficiency?

Sources

95%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

What to make of the new COVID variants, FLiRT

National Public Radio (NPR) Ailsa Chang Monday, 03 June 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • The U.S. is experiencing two COVID waves a year.
    • Dr. Ashish Jha expects a summer wave of COVID-19.
  • Accuracy
    • A new Covid variant, KP.2, is overtaking the dominant Covid variant in the US
    • California and other parts of the country are at risk for a summer surge in Covid cases
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

80%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

COVID's FLiRT subvariants are rising. How bad will California wave get?

The Los Angeles Times Rong-Gong Lin Saturday, 01 June 2024 10:00
  • Unique Points
    • The new FLiRT family of coronavirus subvariants is taking hold, potentially leading to a summer surge in COVID-19 cases.
    • COVID-19 can cause long-lasting effects, known as long COVID, particularly in individuals in their 30s and 40s.
  • Accuracy
    • ]The new FLiRT family of coronavirus subvariants is taking hold, potentially leading to a summer surge in COVID-19 cases.[
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The author focuses on the potential increase in COVID cases caused by new subvariants, while downplaying the fact that deaths and hospitalizations have significantly decreased since the pandemic began. This creates a sense of fear without providing proper context. Additionally, statements from experts are used to add credibility to this narrative, but they do not provide any new information or insights beyond what is already known about COVID-19.
    • Experts generally believe they are more contagious than earlier strains
    • But even with lower deaths there can be a high number of infections
    • California’s COVID waves last summer and winter were still big enough to cause significant disruptions
    • COVID deaths have continued to decline: For the 12-month period that ended at the start of spring, there were about 66,000 deaths nationally, half as many as the prior comparable period.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Will California Have a Summer Covid Surge?

The New York Times Soumya Karlamangla Thursday, 30 May 2024 13:00
  • Unique Points
    • A new Covid variant, KP.2, is overtaking the dominant Covid variant in the US
    • California and other parts of the country are at risk for a summer surge in Covid cases
    • The rate of Covid spread has been relatively low in 2024 due to immunity from vaccines and past infections
    • California had its first day without reported Covid deaths on April 2, 2024
    • The level of Covid detected in wastewater has been increasing since mid-May, particularly in the West where California has the highest levels
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author makes several statements that are based on facts and do not contain any logical fallacies. However, there is one instance of an appeal to authority when the author quotes Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. This does not significantly impact the overall score as it only represents a minor portion of the article.
    • “The writing is on the wall in terms of a small uptick,” Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told me.
  • Bias (95%)
    The author expresses a bias towards the likelihood of a summer Covid surge in California by stating 'The answer is probably yes.' and 'I think it will continue to swell a bit.'
    • I think it will continue to swell a bit.
      • The answer is probably yes.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      89%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Analyzing The Emergence Of Covid Variant KP.2 And Its Potential Impact

      Forbes Magazine William A. Friday, 31 May 2024 00:00
      • Unique Points
        • KP.2 is a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 that could lead a potential surge during the upcoming summer.
        • , KP.2 mainly spreads in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom with rising levels in Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.
        • KP.2 belongs to a group called FLiRT variants which are a subset of variants on the Omicron tree.
        • One change from JN.1 in KP.2 could significantly impact F456L, possibly enhancing ACE2 binding affinity or decreasing antibody binding efficiency.
        • V1104L has been added to the S2 subunit of the spike protein in KP.2, which may improve the efficiency of fusion with host cell membrane and viral genome entry.
        • KP.2 shares three mutations with the first departing variant from the original Wuhan virus: D614G in the spike, P323L in NSP12, and C241U synonymous mutation.
        • Synonymous mutations in KP.2 influence the tertiary structure of its RNA and can contribute to adaptation to human host environment.
        • These synonymous mutations also impact the abundance of viral proteins and immune responses in infected individuals.
      • Accuracy
        • SARS-CoV-2, the agent of the Covid-19 epidemic, is here to stay and mutates to evade the immune system.
        • KP.2 mainly spreads in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom with rising levels in Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.
        • There have been 1,816 reported cases of KP.2 in the GISAID SARS-CoV-2 database indicating potentially thousands or tens of thousands individuals infected.
        • There is only one nonspike mutational difference from JN.1 in KP.2, lying in Orf1a collection which contains 11 proteins involved in replication processes.
      • Deception (60%)
        The article provides information on the new variant KP.2 and its potential impact without disclosing sources. While the author provides some context on how viruses mutate and how this can affect their transmission and pathogenicity, there is no direct evidence to suggest that KP.2 is more dangerous or transmissible than previous variants. The article does not present any new or exclusive information about KP.2 that has not been reported elsewhere.
        • Mutating virus variant and cell mutation variants as a health risk concept and new coronavirus ... [+] outbreak or covid-19 viral cells mutations and influenza background as a 3D render. getty It is clear that SARS-CoV-2, the agent of the Covid-19 epidemic, is here to stay.
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (95%)
        The author compares KP.2 to previous variants and mentions its potential impact on those who have not been vaccinated or infected before, implying a bias towards portraying the new variant as a threat for certain individuals.
        • For those who have not been infected or vaccinated, infection with KP.2 could be very serious.
          • It is crucial to be aware of these threats before they become widespread.
            • This recently identified variant is mainly spreading in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with rising levels in Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia.
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication