New Covid variant symptoms to watch out for as cases rise in 36 states…

The current COVID spike is being fueled by the extraordinarily transmissible XFG variant, also recognized as “Stratus,” spreading swiftly around the globe.

XFG was first recognized in the US in March, but it required a number of months for the pressure to overtake the NB. 1.8.1 or “Nimbus” variant.

Based on wastewater info from the U.S. (*36*) for Disease Control and Prevention, Stratus is now the prevailing variant circulating throughout the US.

What are the symptoms?

Recently, there have been experiences that newer variants have explicit symptoms involving the throat, such as “razor blade throat” or hoarseness. While this remains something to watch out for, it has been well-documented that a sore throat has been a COVID symptom since 2020.

There is also no evidence to suggest the new variant has more severe symptoms.

Where in the US are COVID cases rising the most?

While information from the CDC indicates that COVID viral activity levels in wastewater remain low, 11 states show “very high” or “high” concentrations. Texas, Utah, Nevada, California and Florida are all known to be problem areas presently.

States where the highest wastewater viral activity levels were as of August 14 include: Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

The timing of this summer surge’s peak remains uncertain. From Aug. 19, the CDC projects that COVID infections are likely to increase in 36 states and decrease in zero states, based on predictive models.

The new variant XFG was initially discovered in January throughout Southeast Asia. By June, the World Health Organization had designated XFG as a “variant under monitoring” because of its swift worldwide transmission.

The WHO also noted that XFG has several unique mutations in its spike protein, which have been demonstrated to enhance the virus’s ability to evade COVID-19 antibodies from previous infection or vaccination.

However, the public health risk posed by XFG is currently rated as “low,” and current data doesn’t recommend that Stratus causes a more extreme sickness.