Daijiworld Media Network - London

London, Jul 4: A new Covid variant named ‘Stratus’, scientifically known as XFG, has sparked concern in the UK, with health experts warning of a potential new wave of infections due to its high transmissibility and immune-evasive mutations.

According to data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Stratus has rapidly become the dominant Covid strain in England, rising from just 10% of cases in May to nearly 40% by mid-June.

Descended from the highly contagious Omicron variant, Stratus is classified as a recombinant or ‘Frankenstein’ strain, having emerged from a hybrid infection involving two Covid variants.

Experts say both XFG and its fast-spreading sub-lineage XFG.3 are gaining ground.

“Immunity is waning in the population as booster uptake has declined and recent infection rates were low. That makes more people vulnerable to Stratus,” said Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University. However, he clarified that there is currently no evidence suggesting that the new strain causes more severe illness. Vaccination, he stressed, still offers strong protection against serious outcomes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed Stratus as a ‘variant under monitoring’ and assessed its overall risk as low. Yet, with the strain now responsible for around 22% of global Covid cases, the WHO has acknowledged its significant growth advantage.

Most symptoms of Stratus are similar to earlier Covid variants, including cough, fatigue, high temperature, sore throat, and headache. However, one distinct symptom noted by Dr Kaywaan Khan, GP and founder of Hannah London Clinic, is hoarseness — a scratchy or raspy voice. “Though symptoms tend to be mild to moderate, people who test positive must isolate as the strain is highly contagious,” he advised.

Health authorities continue to monitor the variant’s spread closely, urging people to stay alert and follow preventive measures.