Africa: A New Covid Variant Is On the Rise. Here's What to Know About LP.8.1

More than five years after COVID was declared a pandemic, new variants continue to emerge. The latest variant is LP.8.1. It is rising in Australia and accounts for nearly one in five COVID cases in New South Wales. In the UK, it has become even more dominant, making up at least three in five cases.

LP.8.1 was first detected in July 2024. It is a descendant of Omicron, specifically KP.1.1.3, which comes from JN.1. This subvariant caused significant COVID waves globally in late 2023 and early 2024.

The World Health Organization (WHO) designated LP.8.1 as a variant under monitoring in January 2024 due to its rapid growth worldwide. This designation reflects genetic changes that may help the virus spread more easily and pose greater health risks.

LP.8.1 has mutations at six locations on its spike protein, which helps SARS-CoV-2 attach to human cells. One mutation, V445R, may allow this variant to spread more easily than others by increasing binding to human lung cells.

However, the symptoms of LP.8.1 do not seem more severe than those of other strains. The WHO considers the global public health risk from LP.8.1 to be low and continues to monitor it rather than classify it as a variant of interest or concern.

These changes are small and unlikely to significantly impact the pandemic's trajectory.

Despite this, COVID remains a major health concern nationally and internationally. So far this year, Australia has recorded nearly 45,000 new cases of COVID-19, with about 260 people currently hospitalized.

Many people are no longer testing or reporting infections, so actual case numbers are likely much higher.
In New South Wales, LP.8.1 is now the third most dominant strain after XEC and KP.3.