New COVID Variant In United Kingdom: A new and potentially dangerous variant of the coronavirus, named 'Stratus', is raising alarm among health experts in the UK. Believed to be one of the most vaccine-resistant strains detected so far, Stratus poses a serious threat particularly to vulnerable groups such as senior citizens and unvaccinated young individuals. The emergence of this variant has reignited fears of another wave, just as the world hoped to move past the pandemic.
United Kingdom Deals With The New COVID-19 Variant
The new COVID-19 variant that has been termed as the stratus strain has been officially classified under the SARS-CoV-2 variants XFG and XFG.3, the concerned virus has been gripping the parts of UK and has been currently spreading at an uncharted rate in the United Kingdom, the possibility of a global transmission seems even with the current rate of spread.
As per the the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), these two variants have been spreading themselves at an unparalleled pace as they now account for almost 30 per cent of the total COVID-19 cases that have yet been detected in England, out of them, the XFG.3 remains the prime driver of the alarming number of cases.
At the global image, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that the newly found Strain variant has contributed to almost a notable 23 per cent of the total tally of the global COVID-19 cases as of last month.
How Is This Strain different From The Past Variants?
What makes this newly detected strain different is certainly the symptom that it has been showing, noting down the fact that it has reflected some unusual symptoms like a hoarse voice, which hasn't been one of the banal symptoms of the past variants
What makes this variant challenging is its ability to evade the vaccine-induced immunity. This has been possible because of the large mutations that the particular variant has carried out, which almost make it alien to the immune system and antibodies that have been developed by previous infection or vaccines.
Who Is Most At Risk of The Stratus COVID-19 Strain?
The people who are under the most threat from the new Covid-19 variant as those who fall into the vulnerable group, like kids and adults dealing with other parallel diseases.
Experts have said that declining immunity among people is one of the possible reasons behind the spread of the virus.
As the effectiveness of the booster doses becomes compromised on format with time and naturally induced infections become rare, then more and more people eventually may end up being vulnerable to the new variants, like the Strain.
The threat could signal and call for a new, fresh wave of the covid 19 infections, especially among people who are living with compromised immune systems or the ones who haven't been administered the booster shots.
What Are The Other Variants Of COVID-19 That Are Still In Sight
The latent Stratus dominates the charts as of now but other parallel COVID-19 variants too have are being seen on the radar such as the one that became common last June the Nimbus strain (NB.1.8.1). This variant is the descendant of the Omicron family, which initially had spread across the parts of Asia like China and Hong Kong and now is being reported in the Americas and Australia. Patients who are infected with the Nimbus reported a bizarre symptom of having a sharp, razor-blade-like sore throat.
Symptoms of Stratus COVID-19 Variant
The new COVID variant has been showing some unusual symptoms that have the possibility of going unreported due to a lack of awareness. Keep an eye on the following symptoms to avoid any delay in treatment.
- A stubborn rise in body temperature is being seen, and it doesn't get back to normal easily.The body temperature can range anywhere between 37.6 degrees Celsius to 38.1 degrees Celsius; be alert, as such a temperature rise could signal an infection with the latent variants. The patients complain of body lethargy and fatigue.
- It has been noted that some gastrointestinal Issues are also being reported in the current variant, as more cases are now showing different digestive symptoms like diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort, and loss of appetite, which are more severe than the past variants.
The health authorities have been tracking the situation and trying to put it under control, but the authorities have been taking due measures to put the condition under control. The health authorities have urged the people to take all the necessary precautions, like wearing masks and avoiding movement in public spaces, to inhibit the growth of the virus.