Overview

• UKHSA figures indicate roughly 35% of sequenced cases are the XFG lineage known as Stratus, with 28% linked to NB.1.8.1, or Nimbus.
• The Royal College of GPs reports case numbers have doubled over the past four weeks, with notable increases among the very young and the elderly.
• The national Covid hospital admission rate rose from 2.0 to 2.73 per 100,000 this week, according to UKHSA data.
• Clinicians frequently cite a hoarse voice or severe “razor blade” sore throat as a prominent symptom alongside familiar signs such as headache, cough and congestion.
• Reissued advice urges people with symptoms to stay home, avoid contact with vulnerable individuals, wear well-fitting masks if they must go out, and seek NHS vaccination if eligible, with most tests no longer free but available in pharmacies.