Key Summary
- The UK Health Security Agency claims that Stratus strains now account for 30 per cent of the Covid cases
- Some experts warn that these strains could evade antibodies developed from prior infections or vaccinations
- They cause mild infections and WHO claims it has a low risk to global public health
A new and highly contagious strain of Covid-19, described as a ‘Frankenstein’ variant, is spreading across the UK
The new strain, Stratus, has two variants, XFG and XFG.3, and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) claims the second one is now more prevalent.
The agency claimed the two strains now account for 30 per cent of the Covid cases in the UK.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a statement that Stratus will soon become the dominant Covid variant.
This strain is known for causing a hoarse voice in some individuals.
Some experts warn that Stratus could evade antibodies developed from prior infections or vaccinations.
However, they said the Stratus strain causes mild infections and WHO claims it has a low risk to global public health.
The latest Covid-19 variant is called a “Frankenstein variant” because it’s a mix-and-match of different virus types.
The WHO claims that on June 22, Stratus accounted for 22.7 per cent of global Covid-19 cases.
