Covid symptoms you can't ignore as supercharged variant behind nearly every case
In the past week alone, 461 new cases were reported nationwide, with health officials pointing to the XFG variant - also called Stratus - as the main driver.
The latest figures from Ireland's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show the variant's share of confirmed cases has skyrocketed from 33% six weeks ago to 87.5% this week, meaning it now accounts for nearly every confirmed Covid case in the country.
According to the HPSC, nine counties reported more than 20 new cases in the past week. Dublin led the way with 108 cases, followed by Cork with 47, Limerick with 34, Galway with 33, Tipperary with 29, Kerry with 23, Waterford and Donegal with 21 each and Wexford with 20.
At the other end of the scale, Longford recorded no new cases, while Mayo had 1, Monaghan had 2, Leitrim had 3, Kilkenny and Roscommon had 5 each, and Carlow and Sligo had 7 each.
The World Health Organization has flagged Stratus as a "variant under monitoring", warning that while it may not cause more severe illness, it appears to spread faster - which is apparent in Ireland's latest figures.
Doctors are also reporting new, subtle symptoms. A hoarse or raspy voice has emerged as an early sign, sometimes appearing before more classic Covid symptoms, making it easier for the virus to spread undetected. Harley Street GP Dr Kaywaan Khan told Cosmopolitan UK that "one of the most noticeable symptoms of the Stratus variant is hoarseness, which includes a scratchy or raspy voice."
The timing of this rise in Stratus cases coincides with the massive Oasis concerts held at Croke Park over the weekend, where more than 160,000 fans packed in for the band's Live 25 reunion shows. Health experts had warned that such large gatherings could increase the risk of transmission.
Akash Sood from Knightswood Pharmacy advised: "New strands of Covid can infect thousands within metres of one another, so wear a mask if concerned, be safe and enjoy the return of Oasis."
Ireland's public health guidelines remain the same: If you have any symptoms of Covid, stay at home until 48 hours after the symptoms are mostly or fully gone. You should also avoid contact with other people, especially people at higher risk from Covid.
The HSE is reminding the public of the wide range of Covid symptoms to look out for. These include: fever (high temperature - 38C or above) - including having chills
dry cough
fatigue (tiredness)
loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this could mean they're completely gone or just different to normal
nasal congestion (runny or blocked nose)
conjunctivitis (also known as red eye or pink eye)
sore throat
headache
muscle or joint pain (aches and pains)
different types of skin rash
nausea or vomiting
diarrhoea
chills
dizziness
shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
loss of appetite
confusion
pain or pressure in the chest.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
8 hours ago
- RTÉ News
US health officials urge Kennedy to stop spreading vaccine misinformation
Hundreds of current and former employees of US health agencies have accused US President Donald Trump's health secretary of putting them at risk by spreading false information. In an open letter, the federal officials criticised US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr - a noted vaccine skeptic - nearly two weeks after an armed attack on the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the main US health agency. A gunman who blamed the Covid-19 vaccine for sickening him targeted several buildings at the Atlanta-based CDC on 8 August, killing a police officer. The attack "was not random," the signees of the open letter said, pointing to "growing mistrust in public institutions, driven by politicised rhetoric that has turned public health professionals from trusted experts into targets of villainisation - and now, violence." Mr Kennedy, who has repeatedly aired false information about vaccines and slammed the agencies he heads as corrupt, was accused of fueling the mistrust. Mr Kennedy "is complicit in dismantling America's public health infrastructure and endangering the nation's health by repeatedly spreading inaccurate health information," the open letter said, imploring the health chief to change his stance. Since taking office, the nephew of assassinated president John F Kennedy has made numerous pronouncements that run counter to scientific consensus, particularly about vaccines. This shift toward vaccine skepticism has been denounced by many experts. A petition calling on Congress to impeach Mr Kennedy had gathered more than 12,600 signatures. The latest open letter from US civil servants, many of whom signed anonymously, comes on the heels of other similar texts backed by federal employees denouncing actions of the Trump administration. Taking such a step was not without risk: nearly 140 staffers at the Environmental Protection Agency who spoke out publicly were placed on leave in last month.
Irish Independent
14 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Visiting restrictions in place at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore due to a high number of Covid-19 positive patients
Today at 06:56 Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore has put in place visiting restrictions as it is currently experiencing a high number of patients with Covid-19, which appears to be circulating in the community. As a precautionary measure, visiting restrictions have been implemented in the OHIU, Ardan and Pallas ward areas to help reduce the spread of the virus within the healthcare setting.
The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
The major Covid-19 symptom that can last for YEARS as cases rise across Ireland
The so-called Stratus variant is behind the latest jump in infections STAY AWARE The major Covid-19 symptom that can last for YEARS as cases rise across Ireland EXPERTS reckon there's a Covid-19 symptom that could last for "years" - and it mainly affects women. Health chiefs said the infection seems to accelerate the ageing of blood vessels, raising the risk of heart disease. 3 A study suggests that Covid-19 could accelerate the ageing of blood vessels Credit: Getty 3 And people with stiffer blood vessels face a higher risk of cardiovascular complications Credit: Getty Advertisement As of August 20, there have been 461 new infections reported across the country. The so-called Stratus variant is behind much of the upswing, which left 158 people hospitalised last week. And some people who have had Covid-19 are left with "symptoms that can last for months or even years." According to research published in the European Heart Journal this week, the infection may lead to blood vessels ageing around five years, particularly in women. Advertisement The study, led by Professor Rosa Maria Bruno at the Université Paris Cité in France, suggests that Covid-19 could accelerate the ageing of blood vessels. And people with stiffer blood vessels face a higher risk of cardiovascular complications, including heart attack and stroke. Professor Rosa said: "Since the pandemic, we have learned that many people who have had Covid are left with symptoms that can last for months or even years. "However, we are still learning what's happening in the body to create these symptoms. Advertisement 'We know that Covid can directly affect blood vessels. "We believe that this may result in what we call early vascular ageing, meaning that your blood vessels are older than your chronological age and you are more susceptible to heart disease. I was told Covid origins probe would lead us to gates of hell... Watergate was nothing compared to outrageous lab leak cover-up "If that is happening, we need to identify who is at risk at an early stage to prevent heart attacks and strokes." The study recruited 2,390 people, aged 50 on average, from 16 different countries between September 2020 and February 2022. Researchers found that among the women in the study, a SARS-CoV-2 infection was linked to stiffer arteries. Advertisement And the effect was greater in women than men as well as in people who experienced symptoms of long Covid. Researchers found the average increase in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) in women who had mild Covid was 0.55 metres per second, compared with 0.60 in those hospitalised and 1.09 for women treated in intensive care. They also said the increase of around 0.5 metres per second is "clinically relevant" as it is equivalent to ageing around five years. And health chiefs added those affected can experience a 3 per cent risk increase of cardiovascular disease in a 60-year-old woman. Professor Rosa added: "Vascular ageing is easy to measure and can be addressed with widely available treatments, such as lifestyle changes, blood pressure-lowering and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Advertisement "For people with accelerated vascular ageing, it is important to do whatever possible to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.'
