American Covid strain XFG drives surge in England hospital admissions

Hospital admissions for Covid-19 have jumped by nearly 50 per cent in England, driven by a resurgence of the XFG variant, widely known as the "American Covid" or Stratus strain.

The latest figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) show that the proportion of positive Covid-19 tests in hospitals rose from 5.9 per cent to 7 per cent in September. Over the same period, hospital admissions surged, with the London region recording the sharpest rise at 79 per cent.

The XFG variant now accounts for more than half of all positive tests in England. First identified in January last year, the World Health Organisation classified it as a recombinant mix of two earlier strains, LF.7 and LP.8.1.2.

What are the symptoms of the XFG variant?

While the strain has been spreading rapidly, health authorities say its symptoms are broadly similar to previous Covid-19 variants. Patients typically experience a sore throat, cough, fatigue, and fever.

However, some medical experts have pointed to specific physical reactions linked to this variant. Dr Bruno Silvester Lopes, a microbiology lecturer at Teesside University, noted that the Stratus strain is particularly associated with hoarseness alongside fatigue.

Should the public be worried?

Despite the sudden increase in admissions, epidemiologists and virus experts say the rise is not a cause for panic.

"While Covid-19 activity has shown some recent increases, cases remain at low levels in the UK," said Alex Allen, a consultant epidemiologist at the UKHSA. The agency added that because the Stratus strain has already been circulating for a year, this winter's booster vaccine has been specifically updated to target it and its sub-variants.

Dr Matthew Siggins, who teaches immunity and infection biology at the University of Surrey, said the rise was "not a reason for alarm" because a large portion of the population retains immunity from vaccinations and previous infections.

"There is no evidence that variants currently circulating in the UK are causing more severe disease," Siggins said, though he cautioned that the virus still poses a threat to vulnerable groups.

Indeed, the highest rates of hospitalisation are among the elderly. For those aged 85 and over, admission rates rose to 12.43 per 100,000 people, up from 7.08 the previous week.

Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, pointed out that the overall burden on the NHS is still much lighter than in previous waves. "Reported infections and hospitalisation are still quite a lot lower than this time last year," Hunter said.

What are the current isolation rules?

The NHS is no longer advising the general public to take routine lateral flow tests. However, for those who do test positive, the advice is to stay at home and limit contact with others for five days. For children and teenagers under 18, the recommended isolation period is three days.

The health service also advises anyone with a positive test to avoid close contact with immunosuppressed individuals or anyone with a weakened immune system for 10 days.

Vaccination campaigns are currently underway for those at the highest risk, including residents in care homes for older adults, people aged 75 and over, and anyone who is immunosuppressed.