New COVID variant, 'Stratus', sweeps through the U.S.; what to know in Minnesota
Variant XFG first appeared in January in Southeast Asia but only appeared in the U.S. around the end of May to June, USA Today previously reported. The new variant is now the third most common strain in the U.S.
By June, the new strain had accounted for at least 14% of new cases.
Is the new strain in Minnesota?
While it's unclear if the new "Stratus" strain made its way to Minnesota, the Minnesota Department of Health reported a drop in COVID-19 cases.
In Minnesota, there were approximately 8.8 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people on May 8, according to MDH. That's a few weeks before the new strain entered the U.S.
Meanwhile, on Aug. 3, MDH reported 1.1 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people.
'Dan the Man' remembered: Tree trimmer dies in central Minnesota incident
What are the symptoms of the new variant?
There is no evidence that XFG causes any distinct symptoms from other variants, according to the Palm Springs Desert Sun. However, hoarseness has been anecdotally associated with the strain, according to social media posts and news reports.
The CDC outlines the following as common COVID-19 symptoms:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Sore throat
Congestion or a runny nose
New loss of taste or smell
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
The CDC advises seeking medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms:
Trouble breathing
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion
Inability to wake or stay awake
Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds, and skin may appear pale, gray or blue
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo.
Corey Schmidt covers politics and courts for the St. Cloud Times. He can be reached at cschmidt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Stratus, new COVID variant, grows in the US as Minnesota cases drop
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