Stratus variant of COVID-19 spreads in the US and several countries

According to USA Today , although it has not yet caused major public health concerns, US health officials are closely monitoring the developments of this COVID-19 variant.

Discovered in Asia, growing rapidly in the US

The XFG variant, also known as "Stratus," was first detected in Southeast Asia in January. However, as of May, there were still almost no cases of this strain in the United States.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), by the end of June, XFG accounted for about 14% of all cases, becoming the third most common variant in the country.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed XFG on its watch list.

However, in a report at the end of June, WHO assessed the public health risk caused by XFG as "low", while affirming that current vaccines are still effective in preventing symptoms and severe illness associated with this variant.

According to expert Subhash Verma - professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada (USA), XFG is the result of recombination between two variants F.7 and LP.8.1.2 (the second most common strain in the US today).

Some mutations in XFG may help this variant evade the immune system, but it is not as transmissible as other dominant variants.

“There is currently no evidence that XFG causes more severe disease or has significantly different symptoms than previous Omicron variants,” Mr. Verma emphasized.

Not dominant yet but growing rapidly

XFG has not yet become the dominant variant in the US, but its prevalence is rising sharply. In the last two weeks of June, ending June 21, XFG accounted for 14% of all cases, behind the NB.1.8.1 strain (43%) and the LP.8.1 strain (31%).

This rate increased rapidly compared to previous months, from 0% in March to 2% in April, 6% at the end of May, then 11% at the beginning of June and 14% at the end of June.

Globally, the WHO has also noted a similar trend. In its June report, the WHO said XFG accounted for 7.4% of positive cases in the first week of May, rising to 22.7% by the end of the month.

To date, there is no evidence that XFG causes symptoms that are different from previous COVID-19 variants.

However, according to some articles on social networks and media, hoarseness may be a common sign with this strain.

The US CDC says common COVID-19 symptoms still include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, stuffy nose, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting.

Patients should seek medical attention if they experience serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, prolonged chest pain, etc.