Variant KP.2, nicknamed FLiRT, is the new dominant variant in the country, according to wastewater surveillance.
From April 14 through April 27, two FLiRT variants accounted for roughly 30% of cases: KP.1.1 made up 7.5% of cases and KP.2 made up 25% of cases. Megan Ranney, MD, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told WebMD that FLiRT has concerning features, such as changes in the spike protein, which play a role in colonizing the body.
FLiRT has overtaken JN.1 variants, which accounted for 22% of COVID-19 cases in the same time period.
The CDC provides estimates for variant proportions for two-week periods, the latest data reaching to April 27. Find the full CDC report here.
