Daijiworld Media Network - Geneva

Geneva, Jul 14: A new Covid-19 variant nicknamed ‘Stratus’—scientifically known as XFG—has been spreading swiftly across several countries in the South-East Asia Region. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated it as a “variant under monitoring,” it maintains that the overall public health risk from XFG remains low.

Despite its high transmissibility and a sharp rise in hospitalisations, WHO has confirmed that the strain does not appear to cause more severe illness or increased mortality compared to other variants currently circulating.

The XFG variant is a recombinant strain, derived from two Omicron sub-lineages—LF.7 and LP.8.1.2—and shares similar characteristics with its predecessors. So far, ‘Stratus’ has been detected in 38 countries.

Common symptoms of XFG include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Muscle and body aches
• Loss of taste and smell
• Diarrhea

Interestingly, some patients have also reported hoarseness or a raspy voice, which experts say may help distinguish XFG from other Omicron sub-variants.

While the illness remains mild in most cases, health experts caution that people with pre-existing conditions or weakened immune systems may be at greater risk of complications. Health authorities are monitoring the variant closely as it edges toward becoming a dominant global strain.