Overview

• UKHSA says XFG/Stratus and its offshoots now account for 77% of Covid cases in England, up from about 75% last week.
• National positivity increased from 7.6% to 8.4% in a week and hospital admissions rose to 2.73 per 100,000 people.
• WHO lists XFG as a variant under monitoring, rates its additional global risk as low, and expects current vaccines to protect against severe disease.
• Clinicians widely report hoarseness or a very sore throat as a common early sign of Stratus, with some noting gastrointestinal symptoms in some patients.
• NHS guidance stresses hand hygiene, ventilation and face coverings in crowded places, with autumn boosters from October 1 for over-75s, older adult care-home residents and people who are immunosuppressed.