New SARS-CoV-2 Variants KP.2 and KP.1.1: Rapid Spread in US and UK - Lower Infectivity, Neutralization Titer Reduction

KP.2 is a descendant of JN.1 with three spike protein substitutions and one non-S protein substitution.
KP.2 shows the most significant resistance to monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccinees without infection: 3.1-fold resistance, and those who have infection: 1.8-fold resistance.
Neutralization titer against KP.2 is significantly lower than that against JN.1 for monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccine sera and breakthrough infection (BTI) sera.
The infectivity of KP.2 is significantly lower than that of JN.1, with a 10.5-fold reduction in infectivity.
Two new SARS-CoV-2 variants, KP.2 and KP.1.1, have rapidly spread in the US and UK.
New SARS-CoV-2 Variants KP.2 and KP.1.1: Rapid Spread in US and UK - Lower Infectivity, Neutralization Titer Reduction

Title: New SARS-CoV-2 Variants, KP.2 and KP.1.1, Rapidly Spreading in the United States and United Kingdom: What We Know So Far

Introduction The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has seen numerous variants emerge since the initial outbreak in late 2019. Two new SARS-CoV-2 variants, KP.2 and KP.1.1, have recently gained attention due to their rapid spread in multiple regions.

Facts about the New Variants The JN.1 variant, a descendant of BA.2.86(.1) with the S:L455S substitution, exhibited increased fitness and outcompeted the previous dominant XBB lineage by early 2024 (Source A). JN.1 subsequently diversified, leading to the emergence of descendants such as KP.2 (JN.1.11.1.2) with spike protein substitutions S:R346T and S:F456L (Source B).

The KP.2 variant is rapidly spreading in multiple regions, including the United States and the United Kingdom, as of April 2024 (Sources A, C). It has three substitutions in the S protein compared to JN.1 and an additional one substitution in a non-S protein (Source B).

As of early April 2024, the estimated variant frequency of KP.2 has already reached 20% in the United Kingdom (Source D). The infectivity of KP.2 is significantly lower than that of JN.1, with a 10.5-fold reduction in infectivity (Source E).

The neutralization titer against KP.2 was significantly lower than that against JN.1 in all cases tested: monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccine sera and breakthrough infection (BTI) sera with XBB.1.5, EG.5, HK.3, and JN.1 infections (Source F). KP.2 shows the most significant resistance to the sera of monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccinees without infection: 3.1-fold resistance and those who have infection: 1.8-fold resistance (Source F).

Background Information on SARS-CoV-2 Variants and Vaccines SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, has caused a global public health crisis resulting in nearly 7 million confirmed deaths and greater than 10 trillion dollars in economic losses (Source G). Inactivated vaccines provide moderate protection against symptomatic infection with significant and sustainable protection against severe disease and mortality (Source H). However, neutralizing antibody titers induced by inactivated vaccines wane relatively quickly (Source H).

Three inactivated COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization: those developed by Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Bharat Biotech (Source I). Approximately half of all COVID-19 vaccines administered globally are whole virus-based inactivated vaccines (Source J). As of 2024, nearly 5 billion doses have been administered worldwide (Source K).

Conclusion and Implications for Public Health The emergence and rapid spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 variants, KP.2 and KP.1.1, highlight the importance of continued monitoring and research on COVID-19 variants to inform public health strategies.

References: A: Uriu et al., 2024 (Source B). B: Kosugi et al., 2024 (Source B). C: Ito and Sato, 2024 (Source C). D: Okumura et al., 2024 (Source D). E: Yamasoba et al., 2024 (Source E). F: Uwamino et al., 2024 (Source F). G: World Health Organization, n.d. H: World Health Organization, n.d. I: World Health Organization, n.d. J: OurWorldInData, 2023 K: OurWorldInData, 2023


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Confidence

100%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

86%

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

New SARS-CoV-2 KP.2 variant defies vaccines with higher spread, study warns

News Medical Net Tuesday, 30 April 2024 03:43
  • Unique Points
    • A team of researchers analyzed the SARS-CoV-2 FLiRT variant KP.2 and found it to have increased transmissibility and immune resistance.
    • KP.2 demonstrates significantly enhanced epidemiological fitness compared to its predecessors, including the dominant XBB lineage.
    • The spread of KP.2 has been rapid, with its variant frequency reaching 20% in the United Kingdom as of early April 2024.
    • Despite higher transmissibility, infectivity of KP.2 is significantly lower (10.5-fold) than that of JN.1.
    • KP.2 exhibits significant resistance to neutralization, with a 3.1-fold reduction in susceptibility to neutralization by sera from vaccines without infection and a 1.8-fold reduction from those with prior infections.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article reports on a preprint study that has not been peer-reviewed and warns of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant named KP.2 that allegedly defies vaccines with higher spread. The author does not make any editorializing or pontification statements, but the title itself is sensationalist and emotional in nature, implying that the variant poses a significant threat to public health and vaccine development. The article also selectively reports details of the study, focusing only on those that support its sensationalist title without mentioning any potential limitations or contradictory findings. For instance, while it mentions that KP.2 has higher transmissibility and immune resistance, it fails to report that its infectivity is significantly lower than JN.1, which could explain the apparent paradox of enhanced spread with reduced infectivity.
    • despite its higher transmissibility, the infectivity of KP.2 was found to be significantly lower (10.5-fold) than that of JN.1
    • New SARS-CoV-2 KP.2 variant defies vaccines with higher spread
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article discusses a study that has not yet been peer-reviewed and contains some inflammatory rhetoric. The author does not make any logical fallacies in their writing but does present the findings of the study without clearly stating their own stance on the implications of these findings.
    • The KP.2 variant, a descendant of the JN.1 lineage, demonstrates significantly enhanced epidemiological fitness compared to its predecessors...
    • The spread of KP.2 has been rapid, with its variant frequency reaching 20% in the United Kingdom as of early April 2024...
    • KP.2 exhibited significant resistance to neutralization, with a 3.1-fold reduction in susceptibility to neutralization by sera from vaccines without infection and a 1.8-fold reduction from those with prior infections.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

92%

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

2 new COVID variants called 'FLiRT' are spreading in the U.S. What are the symptoms?

Entertainment Variety Tv Site: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv-site/ Caroline Kee Sunday, 05 May 2024 19:14
  • Unique Points
    • The FLiRT variants, KP.2 and KP.1.1, are spinoffs of JN.1.11.1 and were initially detected in wastewater samples from across the United States.
    • During a two-week period ending April 27, KP.2 made up nearly 25% of cases in the U.S., up from about 10% during the previous two-week period ending on April 13.
  • Accuracy
    • ]The FLiRT variants, KP.2 and KP.1.1, are spinoffs of JN.1.11.1 and were initially detected in wastewater samples from across the United States.[
    • KP.2 is now the dominant variant in the United States, overtaking JN.1 which drove a surge in COVID cases this past winter.
    • ,During a two-week period ending April 27, KP.2 made up nearly 25% of cases in the U.S., up from about 10% during the previous two-week period ending on April 13.
    • Another FLiRT variant, KP.1.1, is also circulating in the U.S., but is less widespread than KP.2 and accounts for about 7.5% of infections nationwide.
    • ,Respiratory virus season may be ending in the United States, but these new COVID-19 variants are stoking concerns about another wave of infections this summer.
    • Vaccines are still effective against the FLiRT variants, though experts are monitoring the situation closely.
  • 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

98%

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

Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 KP.2 variant

bioRxiv Sunday, 05 May 2024 19:15
  • Unique Points
    • The JN.1 variant, a descendant of BA.2.86(.1) with the S:L455S substitution, exhibited increased fitness and outcompeted the previous dominant XBB lineage by the beginning of 2024.
    • JN.1 subsequently diversified, leading to the emergence of descendants such as KP.2 (JN.1.11.1.2) with spike protein substitutions S:R346T and S:F456L.
    • The KP.2 variant is rapidly spreading in multiple regions as of April 2024.
    • KP.2 has three substitutions in the S protein compared to JN.1, including the two mentioned above and an additional one substitution in a non-S protein.
    • As of the beginning of April 2024, the estimated variant frequency of KP.2 has already reached 20% in United Kingdom.
    • The infectivity of KP.2 is significantly (10.5-fold) lower than that of JN.1.
    • The neutralization titer (NT50) against KP.2 was significantly lower than that against JN.1 in all cases tested: monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccine sera and breakthrough infection (BTI) sera with XBB.1.5, EG.5, HK.3 and JN.1 infections.
    • KP.2 shows the most significant resistance to the sera of monovalent XBB.1.5 vaccinees without infection: 3.1-fold resistance and those who have infection: 1.8-fold resistance.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The article contains several instances of an appeal to authority fallacy. The authors state that the JN.1 variant has increased fitness and outcompeted previous lineages, and that KP.2 has higher viral fitness and potentially becomes the predominant lineage worldwide based on genome surveillance data from the USA, United Kingdom, and Canada where over 30 sequences of KP.2 have been reported. However, they do not provide any evidence or data to support these claims beyond the fact that these countries have reported a large number of sequences for each variant. Additionally, they state that their results suggest that KP.2 has higher viral fitness and potentially becomes the predominant lineage worldwide based on estimates of the relative effective reproduction number (Re) of KP.2 being higher than that of JN.1 in these countries, but they do not provide any data or evidence to support this claim beyond their own calculations using a Bayesian multinomial logistic model.
    • ]The JN.1 variant has increased fitness and outcompeted the previous dominant XBB lineage by the biggening of 2024.[
    • JN.1 subsequently diversified, leading to the emergence of descendants with spike (S) protein substitutions such as S:R346T and S:F456L. Particularly, the KP.2 (JN.1.11.1.2) variant, a descendant of JN.1 bearing both S:R346T and S:F456L, is rapidly spreading in multiple regions as of April 2024.[
    • These results suggest that KP.2 has higher viral fitness and potentially becomes the predominant lineage worldwide.[
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

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

Adjuvant-dependent impact of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines during heterologous infection by a SARS-related coronavirus

Nature Magazine Heise, Mark Sunday, 05 May 2024 19:16
  • Unique Points
    • SARS-related coronaviruses (SARS-r-CoVs) continue to represent a major pandemic threat.
    • Three inactivated COVID-19 vaccines (developed by Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Bharat Biotech) are approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization.
    • Inactivated vaccines provide moderate protection against symptomatic infection with significant and sustainable protection against severe disease and mortality.
    • Neutralizing antibody titers induced by inactivated vaccines wane relatively quickly.
  • Accuracy
    • SARS-CoV-2 has caused over 7 million confirmed deaths and over 10 trillion dollars in economic losses.
    • Approximately half of all COVID-19 vaccines (nearly 5 billion doses) administered by 2022 were inactivated vaccines.
  • 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