UK Covid hospitalisations increase following emergence of new variant
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Specialists cautioned that Covid is still present and spreading, with an increase in cases and hospitalizations believed to be linked to new strains of the virus.
There is a new set of Covid variations known as FLiRT that has appeared.
As reported by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the number of people being admitted to hospitals for Covid increased by 24 percent in the week leading up to Sunday. This was a rise from 3.31 per 100,000 individuals to 2.67 per 100,000 from the previous week.
Professor Lawrence Young, a scientist who studies viruses at Warwick University, stated that the numbers should alert people who believe the virus is no longer a threat.
"He explained to iNews that the virus is still present and is not just a seasonal illness."
A mix of new, highly contagious virus strains and decreasing immunity is likely playing a role in the rising infection rates. The goal is to prevent a large spike in infections, but it's important to monitor the situation closely.
Recent data from the UK Health Security Agency reveals that there were 2,053 confirmed cases of Covid in the week leading up to 12 June. This marked a rise of 148 cases, equating to a 7% increase compared to the week prior.
The highest number of people needing to stay in the hospital were those who were 85 years old or older. The number of Covid patients who needed to be admitted to the intensive care unit was very small, but it went up slightly to 0.12 per 100,000.
The company explained that the name FliRT was based on the mutations in the genetic code of the variants, which originated from JN.1 with the parent variant BA.2.86.
As of April 2024, the UKHSA reported that three variations of the FLiRT variant, known as KP.1.1, KP.2, and KP.3, have accounted for 40% of all Covid cases in the UK.
KP.2 caused a rapid increase in cases during the spring, and it seems like KP.3 is now contributing to the start of a summer uptick.
A representative from UKHSA mentioned that they are keeping an eye on information about new variants from both the UK and other countries. They are looking at how serious these variants are and how vaccines are working against them.
Currently, there are no updates to the general health recommendations for the public.
