‘Already kicking off’: New ‘FLiRT’ Covid strain hits Australia after sweeping through US and UK

A new family of Covid sub variants which has been sweeping through the US and UK has been detected in Australia.

A new family of Covid subvariants sweeping through the US and UK has been detected in Australia, with Aussies warned to expect a surge in cases in the coming weeks.

The FLiRT subvariants, which are made up of several sub variants including KP. 1 and KP. 2, has quickly become the dominant strain in the US.

FLiRT derives from the JN. 1 variant, which drove up COVID-19 infections in Australia earlier this year.

The nickname FLiRT stems from the technical name of the mutations in the genetic code.

Professor Catherine Bennett, Chair in Epidemiology at Deakin University warned FLiRT is “very transmissible” just like the JN. 1 variant,” she added.

“But it’s mutations look a bit different, which means it’s got a bit of an advantage over JN. 1 if our immune system doesn’t recognise it as readily.”

Professor Bennett said FLiRT subvariants have been detected in Australia since February and are driving our next Covid wave which she predicts will reach a peak in late June.

“We really are at the start of the wave, it’s already kicking off. And we’d expect the wave, as they always do, to last four to six weeks before we’d see the numbers come back down again.”

Professor Bennett said we will likely see a peak in Covid cases in late June. Picture: iStock

FLiRT variants in Australia

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified subvariants, including KP. 2 and KP. 3, as “variants under monitoring” (VUMs).

“WHO want to keep an eye on it because it is the one that’s getting a foothold. They want to make sure it’s not going to, in rare cases, cause more severe disease. At this stage there is no sign of that,” Professor Bennet explained.

In Australia, FLiRT variants have been detected across a number of states.

In New South Wales, KP. 2 made up 50 per cent of COVID-19 infections as of May 4, according to NSW Health.

FLiRT variants have also been detected in wastewater samples in Victoria, while Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard warned the state was seeing an uptick in Covid cases.

“This is due to one of the FLiRT variants — almost certainly driven by one of these fluid variants particularly the very important KP3, a particularly contagious form of Covid,” Dr Gerrard said on Tuesday, as per The Courier Mail.

“The numbers have started to rise and we will expect the numbers to increase significantly in the coming weeks.”

KP. 2 made up 50 per cent of COVID-19 infections as of May 4. Picture: NSW Health

Staying safe in winter

While FLiRT subvariants are highly transmissible, Professor Bennett said the severity of the disease is similar to other Covid strains.

Those infected with FLiRT subvariants will display similar symptoms as those infected with other Covid variants. However they can vary from person to person.

“One person can have a classic kind of respiratory infection. Someone else can just have headaches and fever, and not even know they have Covid, so it’s variable,” she explained.

She encouraged all Aussies to take steps to protect yourself against Covid, particularly as we head into winter when influenza and Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) will also be on the rise.

“The fact they’re all really well lined up at the moment and taking off at the same time, that’s a challenge,” she added.

Those infected with FLiRT subvariants will display similar symptoms as those infected with other Covid variants. Picture: Getty

She reminded Aussies to think about wearing masks when travelling on public transport and for those with symptoms to stay home.

“People just need to be aware that it’s happening, and if they haven’t had the flu or the Covid vaccine, have it now,” Professor Bennett added.

“This cold weather works well for the viruses so we will see that risk rise as we go into the next couple of weeks.”