‘It’s more transmissible, so we expect that a lot of people will get it’
Stratus appears to spread faster than earlier Covid strains(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
A new Covid variant is making people unwell across Wales. The strain is often overlooked due to its unpleasant symptoms being mistaken for a cold or the flu as we move into a cool and wet autumn. The emerging Covid strain, known as Stratus, comprises two variants, XFG and XFG.3, with XFG.3 representing 40% of cases in England as of June this year, according to data.
According to the most recent data published by Public Health Wales nearly 50% of coronavirus cases were the XFG variant – based on a rolling four-week average . The exact percentage is 47.6%. Meanwhile 9.5% of cases in Wales have been attributed to the XFG.3 strain.
In some areas of Wales, all or nearly all recorded Covid cases were the Stratus variant including Cardiff (100% XFG), Swansea (100% XFG) Bridgend (100% XFG.3), Anglesey (100% XFG), Vale of Glamorgan (80% XFG).
The strain is spreading quickly and has distinct early warning signs. Over in Ireland health authorities recorded 425 new infections during the opening week of September.
The variant presents with a subtle initial symptom that individuals might dismiss rather than recognising as signs of illness.
Stratus’ most prevalent early indicator is a hoarse or gravelly voice, which subsequently develops into the typical Covid signs such as fever or coughing, reports the Mirror.
Other symptoms, including nasal congestion, sore throats, stomach upsets and fatigue have also been logged by doctors.
Dr Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California San Francisco, warned that Stratus presents a “wider range of symptoms” than previous variants, The Mirror also reported.
He told SFGATE: “There’s a little bit more sore throats with some people. Particularly in those who are older, who didn’t get vaccinated last year.
“It’s more transmissible, so we expect that a lot of people will get it. Particularly with kids going back to school, a sniffle is likely going to be Covid.”
The variant surveillance data for Wales is updated once a month. The most recent data runs up to August 18.
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