United States: According to the UK Health Security Agency, a new variant of Covid is rising as cases surge in the UK.
Known as XEC, the strain is derived from carrying out a cross between KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
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Data from the UKHSA reveal that the admission rate of patients who tested positive for the new strain stood at 4.5 per 100,000 people in the week until October 6.
Last week, this was up from 3.7 a week earlier.
New strain is more infectious
Some experts say that the XEC strain is more infectious due to many mutations. If you get infected with XEC, then you could experience the usual symptoms of Covid, such as tiredness, head, sore throat, and high temperature, independent.co.uk reported.
While the current government guidelines for positive cases no longer require legal isolation in the UK, the NHS has suggested that people with Covid should keep a distance from others for at least five days.
It is also suggested that one limits conversations with other people for ten days to minimize risks for such individuals. And to anyone with symptoms, it is suggested, in general, that they must first allow the symptoms to go away before getting back to any normalcy.
The NHS has also begun administering autumn Covid booster doses targeting the most vulnerable.
Who is in the vulnerable group?
Vulnerable groups of people who can have an NHS Covid booster between 3 October and 20 December include:
- persons with age 65 years and more
- those with underlying health conditions such as pregnancy
- Older people who reside in care homes
- NHS staff and care home workers where the patient/resident is an older person