KATHMANDU: A new sub-variant of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has been found in Nepal. The National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL)'s information officer Krishna Prasad Jaisi said that the 'KP 1', 'KP 2', 'KP 3' and 'KP 4' sub-variants were confirmed through a gene-sequencing done on the samples collected from 42 persons infected by coronavirus.    
According to him, the gene sequencing was carried out by collecting samples from the infected persons from all seven provinces in April and May. Among them, the 'KP 1' sub-variant of the Omicron virus was found in 12 samples, the 'KP 2' sub-variant in 17 samples, 'KP 3' and the 'KP 4' sub-variants in one sample each.    
"This is not a new variant. It is the sub-variant of the Omicron variant. It is only given new name," Jaisi added.    
Spokesman at the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Prakash Budhathoki said that the 'KP' variant is not contagious. "The 'KP' variant is not much infectious. It has no much impact," he added.    
Likewise, Omicron (JN 1) has been found in seven samples and the Omicron (BA 2) in two samples out of 42 samples tested in the NPHL. -- RSS