Before the start of school

Variant KP.3: Number of corona cases on the rise again

The number of coronavirus infections is on the rise again before the start of school.

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

School starts again on Monday in the federal states of Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland, but the number of coronavirus infections is already on the rise. This is due to new, more contagious variants of the virus called KP.3. and KP3.1.1. A quarter of suspected cases are registered as infected.

The summer corona wave is dominated by the KP.3 variant, said virologist Judit Aberle, who heads a research group at MedUni Vienna's Center for Virology that deals with immune responses to viral infections and vaccination, on Ö1's "Morgenjournal". She warned that there is a "very clearly increased virus activity" in the east, with positive rates of up to 25% in Upper and Lower Austria.

People over the age of 60 who suffer from pre-existing conditions in particular are recommended to get vaccinated against Covid-19. However, according to expert Aberle, staying at home if you have symptoms is a key factor in avoiding infection.

Variant penetrates cells more quickly
At the beginning of July, the KP.3 variant - a subline of the JN.1 variant with mutations on the spike protein - was detected in almost 48% of infected people in Germany, as reported by the German Robert Koch Institute (RKI). This apparently allows the KP.3 variant to evade human immune defenses more easily, penetrate cells more quickly and multiply more rapidly.

3D representation of the Covid pathogen SARS-CoV-2. The so-called spike proteins are shown in red.

(Bild: NIAID-RML, krone.at-Grafik)

Especially in the USA, Australia and now also in Italy, the KP.3 variant is blamed for the rise in Covid cases and the increase in hospital stays. In the United States, KP.3.1.1 was responsible for more than a third of new Covid cases in the first half of August. This is shown by data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Expert urgently advises boosters
At the end of July, molecular biologist Ulrich Elling had already suggested that there could possibly be a high plateau of Covid infections as early as late summer in view of the significant increase in corona wastewater values.

As a result, the winter wave would probably not peak as high as last December. However, this is highly speculative and still uncertain, Elling said at the time. He therefore recommended not waiting until the winter to get booster vaccinations.

Disease no longer notifiable
Coronavirus disease has no longer been notifiable since July 1, 2023 and there are no longer any restrictions for those who are ill, but there have also been no free antigen or PCR tests since April of this year. For the time being, doctors and suspected cases must be paid for, as negotiations between the Medical Association and social insurance have so far been unsuccessful in terms of covering the costs.