New Covid Strain ‘Stratus’ Spreads in UK, Causes Unusual Hoarse Voice Symptom

The new Covid variant known as Stratus (officially XFG) is spreading rapidly in the UK and accounts for around 30% of Covid-19 cases in England.

As reported, a unique symptom associated with this variant is a hoarse voice, which can manifest as a scratchy or raspy voice. Other symptoms include a dry, irritated throat, dry cough, sore throat, fever, muscle pain, and fatigue, but the overall symptoms are generally mild to moderate.

Experts suggest that Stratus may have some ability to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccinations due to mutations in its spike protein, but there is currently no evidence that it causes more severe illness or reduces vaccine effectiveness.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) classify Stratus as a “variant under monitoring” and assess its risk to global public health as low. However, declining population immunity due to reduced booster uptake could increase susceptibility and potentially lead to a new wave of infections.

People are advised to stay cautious and keep up with vaccinations and boosters to maintain immunity against this and other variants