As Mumbai prepares for Monday’s voting, amidst concerns of the KP.2 Omicron variant causing a surge in COVID-19 cases, health experts advise individuals with respiratory infections to wear masks while voting to prevent potential spread. Although Mumbai currently has no reported cases of the new variant, neighbouring Pune has accounted for 51 out of 91 cases reported in the state.

Severity

“Numerous flu vaccine options are available annually in the US from August to November, but the priority remains ensuring that everyone aged six months and older receives a flu vaccine each year. Examples include Fluzone High-Dose Quadrivalent, Flublok Quadrivalent, and Fluad Quadrivalent, among others. Additionally, there are Influenza A vaccines,” said Dr Subhash Hira, professor of Global Health, University of Washington and member of WHO pandemic panels.
Since March 2024, FLiRT COVID variants, spreading rapidly in the US, have been detected in India, with 91 cases of the Omicron subvariant KP.2 reported in Maharashtra. FLiRT variants, including KP.2 and KP.1.1, account for a significant portion of US cases, with FLiRT being named based on their mutations. While concerns about a new wave persist, virologists like Dr David Ho from Columbia University are cautiously optimistic, although KP.2 shows potential to infect even vaccinated individuals, as per a study from Japan.