Latest news with #Stratis
North Wales Live
a day ago
- Health
- North Wales Live
New Covid Stratus variant becomes dominant in UK with unique symptom
A new Covid variant, known as XFG and dubbed Stratus, is swiftly becoming prevalent in the UK and globally, with experts warning that it's bypassing immunity. The Stratus strain, which has surged to dominance within weeks, reportedly presents a distinctive symptom that sets it apart from other variants. In just a month, Stratus infections have skyrocketed due to its capacity to reinfect those who've previously contracted Covid or have been vaccinated. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Stratus is now the leading Covid variant in England, jumping from 10% of cases in May to 40% by mid-June. Notably, two versions of Stratus are in circulation: XFG and XFG. 3. Speaking to Cosmopolitan UK, Dr Kaywaan Khan, a Harley Street GP and founder of Hannah London Clinic, noted: "Unlike other variants, Stratus has certain mutations in the spike protein which could help it evade antibodies developed from prior infections or vaccinations." Dr Khan also said that Stratus doesn't seem to make people 'more ill' than earlier strains but highlighted a unique symptom: "One of the most noticeable symptoms of the Stratus variant is hoarseness, which includes a scratchy or raspy voice.", reports Wales Online. Dr Khan said in general, the symptoms of Stratus tend to be 'mild to moderate' Dr Khan said: "If you test positive, Stratus is highly contagious, and it is advised to stay home and isolate to avoid spreading to others." Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told MailOnline: "The increased competitiveness of XFG and XFG.3 is likely due to new spike mutations which make these variants more able to evade the immune response. "Given that immunity to Covid is waning in the population due to a decline in uptake of the spring booster jab and the reduction of Covid infections in recent months, more people will be susceptible to infection with XFG and XFG.3. This could lead to a new wave of infection but it's difficult to predict the extent of this wave." The World Health Organisation has designated Stratis a 'variant under monitoring', meaning it is keeping a close eye on the spread of the strain. It accounts for 22% of all cases around the world. The spread of Stratus follows quickly on the back of another strain - Nimbus - which was reported to give people a very sore throat. That now accounts for 17% of all tested cases in the UK. Dr Michael Gregory, regional medical Director for NHS England said: "The variant looks to be spreading rapidly within communities, with top symptoms being a 'razor blade' sore throat and swollen neck glands."
Daily Record
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Warning over new Covid Stratus variant in UK that presents distinct symptom
The Covid strain, formally known as XFG and nicknamed Stratus, is said to have one unique symptom that helps identify which variant you have. A new strain of Covid, known as XFG and informally dubbed Stratus, is swiftly spreading across the globe and has been detected in the UK, where it has become the predominant variant within weeks. Experts are concerned that this strain is adept at evading immunity. And a unique symptom of Stratus, which helps distinguish it from other variants, has been identified. The prevalence of Stratus has surged within a single month due to its capacity to infect individuals who have previously contracted Covid or have been vaccinated. According to data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Stratus is now the leading Covid strain in England. As of May, Stratus accounted for 10 per cent of cases, but by mid-June, this figure had risen to 40 per cent. There are two subvariants of Stratus in circulation: XFG and XFG.3, reports Wales Online. Dr Kaywaan Khan, a Harley Street GP and Founder of Hannah London Clinic, shared with Cosmopolitan UK that Stratus possesses specific mutations in its spike protein that may enable it to bypass antibodies from past infections or vaccinations. Dr Khan noted that while Stratus does not seem to make people 'more ill' than earlier strains, it does present one distinctive symptom. He highlighted: "One of the most noticeable symptoms of the Stratus variant is hoarseness, which i ncludes a scratchy or raspy voice." Generally, the symptoms of Stratus are described as 'mild to moderate' by Dr Khan. Furthermore, Dr Khan advised: "If you test positive, Stratus is highly contagious, and it is advised to stay home and isolate to avoid spreading to others." Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, informed MailOnline: "The increased competitiveness of XFG and XFG.3 is likely due to new spike mutations which make these variants more able to evade the immune response. "Given that immunity to Covid is waning in the population due to a decline in uptake of the spring booster jab and the reduction of Covid infections in recent months, more people will be susceptible to infection with XFG and XFG.3. "This could lead to a new wave of infection but it's difficult to predict the extent of this wave." The World Health Organisation has classified Stratis as a 'variant under monitoring', indicating that it is closely observing the spread of the strain, which currently represents 22 per cent of all cases globally. Following closely behind is another strain, Nimbus, known for causing a very sore throat in those infected. It now makes up 17 per cent of all tested cases in the UK. Dr Michael Gregory, regional medical Director for NHS England, noted: "The variant looks to be spreading rapidly within communities, with top symptoms being a 'razor blade' sore throat and swollen neck glands."
