KP.2.3 Omicron is the most prominent COVID variant in Oregon
By Lynne Terry, Oregon Capital Chronicle
Another COVID outbreak is sweeping parts of the country, with infections increasing on the West Coast.
The summer spread has become a yearly trend as temperatures rise, fostering the spread of the virus, which thrives in steamy, hot conditions. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking growing outbreaks in about 40 states, including Oregon. The virus is also spreading in Washington, California, Arizona and Colorado in the West.
Dr. Paul Cieslak, Oregon Health Authority’s medical director, said infections have been on the upswing in Oregon since April.
In Oregon, nearly 15% of people who tested for COVID over the past week had the virus, according to the Oregon Health Authority’s latest data. That rate only takes into account the 1,515 tests the agency knows about — many people test at home — but it’s an indicator of viral spread and is a high rate for this time of year. The only other year in which test rates were higher at this time was the week of July 23, 2022, when nearly 18% tests were positive.
The difference between then and now is that many people have become sick, which can provide some immunity, and many have been vaccinated. Health authority data shows 80% of Oregonians had one initial dose of the COVID vaccine and about 74% had two. But fewer people have kept up with the booster shots, which are designed to protect against the latest dominant variant. As of early July, about 1 million Oregonians had received a booster shot designed to provide protection against the original variant and two omicron strains.
Omicron continues to mutate, thus the need for updated shots. Vaccine manufacturers are expected to come out with an updated dose this fall to give people protection against the KP.2 variant, an omicron descendent that’s been circulating. Oregon data shows that cases of KP.2.3, a variant of KP.2, and KP.3, another omicron descendent, are growing and are now dominant in the state.
People with immunity can still become sick, though many experience less severe symptoms, health officials say. But people are still dying from COVID in Oregon. State data says that nearly 30 have died in the past four months, a relatively low number compared to mid-January, for example, when 25 died in a week.
The hospitalization numbers are also relatively low compared to the pandemic’s peak but they’re double that of last year. The latest data from Tuesday shows that 225 people hospitalized in Oregon have COVID, 20 are in intensive care and only five are on a ventilator. This time last year 111 patients in Oregon hospitals had COVID.
Health officials continue to advise people to stay up to date with the vaccines, wear a mask to avoid exposure and maintain distance between yourself and others. Inside, HEPA filters can be used to clean the air, or open windows to let fresh air in, provided it’s not smoky.
For more information on how to protect yourself, go to the CDC webpage at cdc.gov/covid/prevention/index.html.
Lynne Terry has more than 30 years of journalism experience, including a recent stint as editor of The Lund Report, a highly regarded health news site. She reported on health and food safety in her 18 years at The Oregonian, was a senior producer at Oregon Public Broadcasting and Paris correspondent for National Public Radio for nine years.
