A new variant of Covid is spreading across the UK – and doctors have warned of a possible summer wave as millions attend festivals and gather in pubs.
In April, a new group of virus strains known as FLiRT variants (inspired by the technical name of the mutation) emerged. And it is widely believed to be responsible for the rise in UK infections.
Hospital admissions increased by 24% in the third week of June alone, with many attributing the surge to the new variant KP.3– part of the FLiRT family, along with KP.2 and KP.1.1.
The KP.3 variant is a subvariant of the highly contagious Omicron strain, and together with other variants make up more than 69% of cases in the US.
KP.3 caused 33.1% of infections in the United States on June 8 – and has now reached the UK.
It seems that everyone knows someone who has experienced the symptoms of Covid in the last few weeks: sore throat, headache, persistent cough and fatigue.
And health experts warn that this new variant is only spreading.
NHS GP Dr Mariyam Malik told The Independent: ‘The FLiRT variant has a specific change in the spike protein that allows it to spread more easily and evade immunity from past infections or vaccines.
‘Similarly, the LB.1 variant has mutations that help it spread and possibly reduce protection from previous immunity, making the variant different from previous versions of the virus.’
Dr Malik added that the virus is more likely to spread now because there are no legal restrictions such as social distancing and mandatory masks.
This is a warning echoed by others in the medical field.
What are the symptoms of the new Covid FLiRT variant?
- Fever or chills
- cough
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Difficulty breathing
- tired
- New loss of taste or smell
- ‘Brain fog’ (feeling less awake and conscious)
- Gastrointestinal symptoms (stomach upset, mild diarrhea, vomiting)
Virologist Professor Lawrence Young of the University of Warwick told i: ‘This is a wake-up call. The virus has not gone away and is certainly not a seasonal infection.
‘The combination of new virus variants that are more infectious and weakened immunity may be contributing to these infection rates.
‘Hopefully this won’t cause a huge wave of infections, but we have to be careful.’
The UK Health Safety Agency also said in May: ‘UKHSA continues to monitor data relating to new variants in the UK and internationally, assessing the severity and effectiveness of ongoing vaccines. There are no changes to the wider public health advice at this time.
‘At this early stage, scientists at the Vaccine Development and Evaluation Center (VDEC) are busy developing a stock of JN.1 variants in a high-content facility, so we can start testing them.’
In March, a new study concluded that Covid-19 likely originated in a laboratory.
The origin of the pandemic has long been a matter of controversy. Some believe the virus was a ‘zoonotic spill event’ and spread from animals to humans, possibly at a wet market in Wuhan, China, where the disease was first reported.
Where can I get a Covid test?
According to Gov.UK, it is no longer possible to order a free rapid lateral flow or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test from the NHS online.
Both types of Covid tests can still be bought in shops and pharmacies, including online.
People with health conditions, or who work in health care or hospices, can still get a free lateral flow test from a pharmacy.
What are the latest Covid isolation rules?
No Covid restrictions are in place in the UK in 2024, but the Government is still advising people to stay at home after testing positive.
Contact the news team by emailing webnews@metro.co.uk.
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