Think COVID is gone? WHO says coronavirus still kills 1,700 a week

COVID variants are emerging every now and then. With every new mutation, the variant's ability to escape immunity increases and so is its transmission rate. Immunity against COVID is also increasing.

However, the danger due to COVID is still not over.

COVID is still killing around 1,700 people a week around the world, the World Health Organization said Thursday, as it urged at-risk populations to keep up with their vaccinations against the disease.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus sounded a warning on declining vaccine coverage.

More than seven million COVID deaths have been reported to the WHO, though the true toll of the pandemic is thought to be far higher. Despite the continued death toll, "data show that vaccine coverage has declined among health workers and people over 60, which are two of the most at-risk groups," the UN health agency's chief told a press conference.

New COVID variants

New COVID variants, named FLiRT and FLuQE are spreading at a higher rate.

In recent months, the "FLiRT" subvariants of COVID-19, specifically descendants of the Omicron variant JN.1, have gained attention. These subvariants, such as KP.1.1, KP.2, and JN.1.7, include mutations in the amino acids of the virus’s spike protein, most notably F456L, V1104L, and R346T. KP.2 has been particularly significant, contributing to an increase in COVID-19 infections in Australia and elsewhere around May. The spike protein, found on the surface of SARS-CoV-2, facilitates the virus's attachment to human cells. The FLiRT subvariants arise from random mutations in the virus's genetic code, resulting in changes to the spike protein.

FLuQE (KP.3) is a new variant that has arisen as a direct descendant of FLiRT, featuring the same mutations found in FLiRT variants. However, FLuQE includes an additional amino acid change in the spike protein, specifically Q493E. This alteration means that the amino acid glutamine at position 493 has been replaced by glutamic acid. Given the spike protein's length of 1,273 amino acids, this change is significant. This modification could potentially enhance the virus's ability to infect human cells. The change from a neutral to a negatively charged amino acid may affect how the virus interacts with cells, altering its infectious capabilities. FLuQE's distinct mutation at position 493 may have implications for how the virus behaves compared to its predecessors. This could have important implications for understanding and managing the spread of this variant.

How to stay safe?

COVID-19 preventive measures include vaccination for eligible individuals, wearing masks in crowded or indoor settings, practicing frequent hand hygiene, maintaining physical distancing when possible, and ensuring adequate ventilation in enclosed spaces. These measures help reduce the spread of the virus and protect individuals and communities from COVID-19 infection.