New COVID strain KP.X dominates as hospitalisations increase in WA

A new COVID sub-strain is adding to the current wave of infections in WA. KP.X has emerged in the past fortnight as the dominant sub-strain in wastewater sampling, replacing the JN.1 which a few weeks ago had accounted for all new infections. Hospitalised COVID cases increased by 15 percent to an average of 212 per day this fortnight from an average of 184 per day last fortnight. Cases in intensive care units increased to an average of six per day this fortnight from per day last fortnight. Reported COVID-19-related deaths were down to nine this fortnight, compared with 13 last fortnight. New sub-strains emerge as the SARS-CoV2 virus continues to mutate. KP.X belongs to family of sub-strains referred to as FLiRT variants, which are all descendants of JN.1 that has been dominant in recent months. Andy Pecosz, a professor in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at John Hopkins Univertsity, said FLiRT variants would be high on his list of viruses that could cause another wave of infections in the United States. “That said, our definition of a wave has changed; while we still see case rates rise and fall throughout the year, we see much lower numbers of cases of hospitalisations or deaths than we saw in the first couple years of the pandemic,” he said. “And yet, while these waves are becoming smaller, they are still having the greatest impact on our susceptible populations: the elderly, people who are immunocompromised and those with other secondary medical conditions. “Everyone can play a role in protecting those populations that remain the highest-risk when new variants cause an uptick in cases.” COVID outbreaks in Australian aged care home increased by 180 with 48 new resident deaths in the past week. The biggest outbreak in WA was at Aegis Shoalwater with 55 residents and 38 staff infected.