UK Health Security Agency: Spread of new COVID variant 'Stratos'
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced the rapid spread of a new COVID-19 variant known as 'Stratos', which has now become a notable proportion of coronavirus infections across the United Kingdom.
In a statement issued Thursday, the agency said that recent genomic analyses showed that the XFG strain and its sub-lineages are now the most prevalent in sequenced samples.
According to official data, the XFG and XFG.3 subvariants accounted for approximately 40% of total COVID-19 infections by the end of June—a significant increase from just 10% in May.
'Stratos' is a recombinant subvariant of the highly contagious Omicron lineage, labeled as a so-called 'Frankenstein variant' due to its hybrid nature. It emerged from a genetic fusion between two highly transmissible subvariants: LF.7 and LP.8.1.2, resulting in this new hybrid strain.
Health experts have warned that Stratos could be more virulent and transmissible than previous strains, due to its mutations that enhance immune evasion—whether from prior infections or vaccinations.
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