Warning new Covid variant dubbed 'Stratus' is 'rapidly spreading' throughout the UK

Two new strains of Covid - including a "super-contagious Frankenstein" variant - are "rapidly spreading" across the UK, an expert has warned.

The XFG variant, which is dubbed "Stratus", is now the dominant coronavirus strain in England, data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows. A spin off called XFG.3 is also present and, together, these cases could "lead to a new wave of infection," Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at University of Warwick, said.

The Stratus is understood to be more infectious than previous Covid strains due to mutations which help it evade the immune system. The variant has gone from accounting for about 10 per cent of all Covid cases in May to almost 40 per cent three weeks later in mid-June.

Professor Young, who has done extensive research at Warwick Medical School on a range of subjects, added: "The increased competitiveness of XFG and XFG.3 is likely due to new spike mutations which make these variants more able to evade the immune response."

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Stratus is a descendent of the already super virulent Omicron and is what is known as a Frankenstein or "recombinant" strain. This means it emerged when a person was infected with two Covid strains at once which then became a new hybrid variant.

But there is currently no evidence Stratus causes more severe illness, and science does show getting a Covid vaccine is "very likely" to offer protection from severe illness and hospitalisation, Professor Young stressed.

"Given that immunity to Covid is waning in the population due to a decline in uptake of the spring booster jab and the reduction of Covid infections in recent months, more people will be susceptible to infection with XFG and XFG.3. This could lead to a new wave of infection but it’s difficult to predict the extent of this wave," the academic told Mail Online.

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the strain a "variant under monitoring". This designation means health authorities across the globe have been asked to help track the variant due its rising spread in different countries and the potential public health implications.

Symptoms of this variant are similar to those of other strains of Covid. They include; shortness of breath, feeling sick or being sick, loss or change to your smell or taste, and a loss of appetite.

Despite the rise in the Stratus strain, data shows overall Covid cases are on the decline compared to recent weeks. Just 5.4 per cent of Covid tests analysed by UKHSA in the week ending June 29 were positive for the virus.