By Amy Jones,Dan Taylor

Copyright manchestereveningnews

A new variant of Covid, known as ‘Stratus’, is spreading rapidly and presents a unique symptom to be mindful of. The Stratus strain, which has two variants – XFG and XFG. 3 – was first identified in January this year . By June, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared XFG as ‘under monitoring’ due to its ‘increasing proportions globally’ . On September 3, the UK Health Security Agency reported a 7.1% increase in coronavirus cases across England compared to the previous week, although it’s unclear how many are linked to the XFG variant. Health authorities in Ireland also logged 425 new infections in the first week of September, with the XFG variant believed to be responsible for most of these cases, reports the Mirror . Typically, Covid symptoms mirror those of common respiratory illnesses like the flu, including fever, cough, sneezing or a runny nose. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. However, the most frequent initial symptom of the Stratus variant is a hoarse or raspy voice, which can precede more traditional Covid symptoms. This early sign can easily be missed. Medical professionals have also noted a range of additional symptoms, such as blocked noses, sore throats, digestive problems and fatigue. Dr Gareth Nye said: “In most ways, it’s almost identical. However, people with this version tend to get very sore throats and a hoarse voice, compared with the other more general symptoms like cough, temperature and aches. “Illnesses always see spikes as children go back to school, as close contact and often lower personal hygiene levels mix.” He further commented to say: “This version is more likely to make you sick, however, as they appear to be able to avoid your immune system even if you’ve had it before. [This] makes prior vaccines less useful, which makes regular vaccination against the latest coronavirus even more important. Think of it like updating your phone to get the best possible experience.” Infectious disease expert Dr Peter Chin-Hong from the University of California, San Francisco, also warned that Stratus presents a “wider range of symptoms” compared to earlier variants. Speaking to SFGATE, he said: “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.”