FLiRT COVID-19 variant causing another wave in Singapore @ 2024

What are the ‘FLiRT’ variants?

FLiRT is the term being used to describe a whole family of different variants, including KP.2, JN.1.7 and any other variants starting with KP or JN that appear to have picked up the same set of mutations, according to Andy Pekosz, PhD, a professor in molecular microbiology and immunology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, in an article posted by the university.”They are all descendants of the JN.1 variant that has been dominant in the U.S. for the past several months,” Pekosz said in the article. “Viruses like SARS-CoV-2 mutate frequently, and when they mutate to evade recognition by antibodies, this often weakens their ability to bind to the cells they want to infect. We then see mutations appear that improve that binding ability.”Megan L. Ranney, dean of the Yale School of Public Health, told WebMD that FLiRT has some concerning features, like changes in the spike protein, which play a role in helping SARS-CoV-2 colonize the body and make people sick.

Singapore Covid-19 Situation

Singapore is seeing a new Covid-19 wave as the authorities recorded more than 25,900 cases from May 5 to 11 even as Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Saturday advised the wearing of masks again.

“We are at the beginning part of the wave where it is steadily rising,” said Ong. “So, I would say the wave should peak in the next two to four weeks, which means between mid- and end of June,” The Straits Times newspaper quoted the minister as saying.

The average daily Covid-19 hospitalisations rose to about 250 from 181 the week before.

The average daily intensive care unit (ICU) cases remained low at three cases, compared with two cases in the previous week.

The MOH said that to protect hospital bed capacity, public hospitals have been asked to reduce their non-urgent elective surgery cases and move suitable patients to transitional care facilities or back home through Mobile Inpatient Care@Home, an alternative inpatient care delivery model that offers clinically suitable patients the option of being hospitalised in their own homes instead of a hospital ward.

Ong urged those who are at greatest risk of severe disease, including individuals aged 60 years and above, medically vulnerable individuals and residents of aged care facilities, to receive an additional dose of the Covid-19 vaccine if they have not done so in the last 12 months.

Ong said that if the number of Covid-19 cases doubles one time, Singapore will have 500 patients in its healthcare system, which is what Singapore can handle. However, if the number of cases doubles a second time, there will be 1,000 patients, and “that will be a considerable burden on the hospital system”, he pointed out.

“One thousand beds is equivalent to one regional hospital,” Ong said. “So, I think the healthcare system has to brace ourselves for what is to come.”

There are no plans for any form of social restrictions or any other mandatory kind of measures for now, as Covid-19 is treated as an endemic disease in Singapore, he said, adding that imposing additional measures would be a last resort.

Ong said that with Singapore being a transport and communications hub, it will be one of the cities to get a wave of Covid-19 earlier than others.

“So, Covid-19 is just something that we have to live with. Every year, we should expect one or two waves,” he said.

Globally, the predominant Covid-19 variants are still JN.1 and its sub-lineages, including KP.1 and KP.2. Currently, KP.1 and KP.2 account i.e FLiRT variant accounts for over two-thirds of cases in Singapore.

As of May 3, the World Health Organisation has classified KP.2 as a variant under monitoring. There are currently no indications, globally or locally, that KP.1 and KP.2 are more transmissible or cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, the MOH said.

Indian COVID-19 Situation

The new COVID-19 variant, FLiRT, has been reported in India now. Till now, India has reported 250 COVID-19 cases and most of the cases are being attributed to KP.2 and KP1.1 —- which are descendants of the Omicron JN.1.

FLiRT variants have caused a surge in COVID-19 infection in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore and South Korea. According to experts, FLiRT variants can evade immunity from vaccines and previous infections.

“This variant has replaced the previously circulating JN.1 variant and is now driving cases in several countries. it is a group of mutants, collectively named as FLiRT. KP.2 and KP.1.1 are among the variants and currently, they are responsible for one-fourth of COVID cases in the United States. They have been named FLiRT based on the letters derived from their mutations. FLiRT variants are direct descendants of JN.1,” Dr. Tayal told Financial Express.com.

He also informed that current laboratory data indicates that while KP.2 may be the most predominant variant and is slightly more infectious than JN.1 variant.