COVID-19 cases are spiking across the U.S. as a new strain called Stratus, an XFG variant, was detected this year.
Stratus was first identified in Southeast Asia in January, according to the World Health Organization, and has spread across 38 countries, per the data as of June.
Why It Matters
While the coronavirus first made waves in late 2019 and throughout 2020, new variants have continued to emerge, bringing more sickness and death in the years since.
Public health officials still urge the same methods to reduce spread of the virus, including self-isolation, washing hands and regular testing if you think you may have been exposed.
What To Know
Coronavirus cases are escalating in nine U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota and South Dakota, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
XFG was identified as the predominant variant based on data from the week of September 15. Stratus is similar to the Nimbus strain, as it is highly infectious and has severe sore throat symptoms that the body often struggles to fight off.
Those who are unvaccinated or who have never caught COVID-19 may be especially vulnerable. Other symptoms include fatigue, fever and persistent, dry cough. Shortness of breath, chest tightness, headaches and stomach issues may also occur, alongside brain fog and loss of smell or taste.
What People Are Saying
David Dodd, president and CEO of Geovax, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing human vaccines, told Newsweek: “The most critical implication(s) is that COVID hasn’t “gone away” and is expected to continue to evolve/mutate. The current authorized vaccines continue to provide limited protection, shorter than desired durability and, require continued reconfiguration against new strains. Those with compromised immune systems are at the highest risk of severe infection, hospitalization and the risk of death.”
What Happens Next
Those who are exposed to the coronavirus and have a fever of higher than 103 degrees for more than three days should see a doctor, experts say.
“Next generation, multi-antigen COVID-19 vaccines, currently in multiple clinical trials, provide the promise for more robust, more durable immune protection, especially for those at the highest risk – immunocompromised patients,” Dodd added.