Symptom that hits '3 times in 24 hours' could signal Covid
People should stay vigilant for signs of COVID-19 as there's been a marginal uptick in cases across the UK. Government data reveals that in the week up to June 15, there has been an increase in the number of confirmed Covid infections in England.
This included people in hospital who were given PCR tests. Hospital admissions due to coronavirus also increased slightly compared to the previous week.
The predominant strains circulating during that time were identified as LP. 8.1.1 and XFG, each contributing to 19.87 per cent of the reported cases. Also present was the "Nimbus" strain or NB.1.8.1, representing 3.97 per cent of infections.
LP. 8.1.1 evolved from LP. 8.1 which itself is a descendant of Omicron, with the original LP.8.1 having surfaced in July 2024 and later categorised as a "variant under monitoring" by WHO in January.
Symptoms
Currently, it remains uncertain whether LP. 8.1.1 triggers specific symptoms distinctive from other strains. Thomas Jeffries, a senior microbiology lecturer at Western Sydney University, observed that LP.8.1 does not seem to be responsible for exceptionally severe symptoms.
Writing for The Conversation, he said: "Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don't appear to be any more severe than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low.
"What's more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern. In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic."
However, according to the NHS, one definitive symptom of Covid is a new or persistent cough, which may involve three or more "coughing episodes" in 24 hours.
Other indicators on the list are:
A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
Shortness of breath
Feeling tired or exhausted
An aching body
A headache
A sore throat
A blocked or runny nose
Loss of appetite
Diarrhoea
Feeling sick or being sick.
The NHS guidance for those with symptoms of Covid suggests self-isolation until recovery. For those who receive a positive Covid test result, the NHS advocates staying home and away from others for five days, although it's not legally required.
Further analysis of recent Covid statistics reveals that the weekly mean positivity rate for PCR tests in English hospitals was up slightly at 6.6 per cent for the week leading up to June 15, compared to 6.2 per cent in the prior week.
The total weekly hospital admission rate for COVID-19 saw a slight rise to 1.53 per 100,000 from the previous week's 1.44 per 100,000. However, the overall rate of COVID-19 patients in ICU or HDU remained steady at 0.04 per 100,000, mirroring the previous week's figure.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
West Lothian schools to get more support teachers thanks to extra £1m funding
It comes amid a 'spike' in the numbers of pupils needing additional support in schools and to learn at home. An extra £1.3m has been awarded to West Lothian Council to help develop Additional Support Learning across schools from August. It will mean more teachers and support staff as well as more specialised training for teachers to work with children and young people. It comes amid a 'spike' in the numbers of pupils needing additional support in schools and to learn at home. Councillors across the chamber welcomed the extra funding which is part of a £1bn pot given to local authorities by the Scottish Government to boost Additional Support Learning in the new school year. In a report to the Education Policy development and Scrutiny Panel Kristyna Macsween, the council's Additional Support Needs and Inclusion Improvement Manager said: 'The Additional Support For Learning (ASL) Action Plan is already deep rooted in our Education Services and continues to be a high priority across all areas of education.' The additional funding has allowed the recruitment of five teachers as well as more school support staff. Other key improvements include:- Increasing teacher availability to support children and young people debilitated by mental health crisis and unable to attend school. Increasing nurture support and resources within schools with specific supports provided by educational psychology services and additional support needs service. National Autistic society training packages. Improved family engagement through the delivery of Early Bird parent programmes to help parents develop understanding of autism. The council has also recruited a Quality Improvement Officer to focus on developing Additional Support Learning across the schools estate, in primary, secondary and ASN schools. Councillor Pauline Orr said: 'Audit Scotland said there's a wide gap exists in attainment in those deemed to have Additional Support Needs and those who don't. How does the council measure the achievements? Ms Macsween said: 'We measure in a range of different ways across schools. We pay a lot of attention to the fact that some ASN learners progress in a different manner. We're not looking at academic success they are looking at confidence building, looking at what national approaches they can take. 'We are very cognisant of the fact that there is a gap that exists however it's about how that gap is seen,and for me it is about the measure of wider achievement is often much more important to out young people to give them access to future life chance and that's where our focus will always be. We go at their pace.' Answering a question from SNP depute leader Pauline Stafford on the growing number of ASN placements Ms Macsween said there was an increase 'year on year' of need in children and young people. She added: 'The level of need has significantly increased year on year we have seen a spike, with many factors around that. We are looking at the impact of Covid, the lack of socialisation. We have been working closely with NHS partners such as speech and language seeing that there is a deficit there as well. 'We are seeing an increase and we want to make sure we meet that need at all costs. Any decision is never around placement on a monetary decision it is taken on the needs of the pupils.' Councillor Orr thanked the team for their work and added: 'It's very welcome to see us going in such a constructive and positive direction.' Councillor Stafford said: 'It's really good to hear just how wide ranging support is for staff and learners, and also to hear the benefits of presumption of mainstream education. It is also a welcome boost to funding from the Scottish Government. Let's hope that's going to continue.' Chair of the PDSP Councillor Andrew McGuire added: 'I think the funding boost is very much welcome, and we are doing a lot with that money. 'It would be good to provide some permanency to that funding given the issues and the challenges that we face. We should encourage the Scottish Government to make sure that funding becomes permanent.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
AstraZeneca boss mulls New York listing in fresh blow for City: Exodus risks transforming London into a 'global backwater'
The boss of Britain's biggest listed firm is considering shifting its stock market listing to the US in a move that raised fears the City could become a global backwater. AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot is reportedly weighing what would be a devastating blow to the London Stock Exchange. The move comes amid growing frustration with the UK's rules on approving new medicines as well as a row over drug prices between the industry and the NHS. Soriot has spoken privately of his desire to move the FTSE 100 drugs giant's listing on multiple occasions. He has also considered moving AstraZeneca's headquarters away from the UK as well as its main stock market listing, the Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. Shares have fallen by 17 per cent over the past year. They rose 2.8 per cent, or 282p, to 10,402p following the report. Soriot, 66, has previously criticised the UK and the rest of Europe for falling behind other countries such as the US and China in developing medicines. In April, he said that innovation in pharmaceuticals 'has mostly been funded by the US'. The company has also been heavily investing in China, which Soriot considers to be a major untapped source of sales. AstraZeneca is the largest company on the London Stock Exchange with a value of £158billion. A move would deal a severe blow to the beleaguered UK market, which has been hit by a number of defections. It is also likely to fuel fears that other major British firms, including oil giant Shell and miners Glencore and Rio Tinto, all of whom have previously considered moving away from London, could follow suit. Michael Healy, UK Managing Director at trading platform IG, said: 'Another week, another potential hammer blow to the UK stock market. We're in dangerous waters – London risks becoming a global backwater unless something changes fast.' Charles Hall, head of research at broker Peel Hunt, said: 'This is another warning shot that we cannot take our capital markets for granted.' But Soriot is likely to face stiff resistance from members of the company's board of directors as well as from the Government. Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at broker AJ Bell, said such a move would be 'difficult to pull off' for AstraZeneca, which declined to comment.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Alcohol advertising ban dropped after industry backlash
A planned ban on alcohol advertising has been dropped after a backlash from industry. Public health measures considered for inclusion in the government's ten-year plan for the NHS have been left out after pushback from Treasury and business ministers concerned about the impact on the economy. Tougher health warnings telling drinkers that alcohol causes cancer are being considered, but there is unlikely to be a blanket requirement for them to be carried on bottles. Ministers have considered a model in Ireland, where alcohol packaging will soon be required to carry labelling warning of a 'direct link between alcohol and fatal cancers'. The plan is expected to include suggestions for exploring such a policy. Health officials had originally hoped to include a minimum unit price for alcohol in the plan, importing a Scottish policy that means a pint of beer cannot be sold for less than about £1.50 or a bottle of vodka for less than £20. However, this was vetoed at an early stage, while alcohol advertising restrictions remained in play. This could have been either a total ban or a 9pm watershed designed to bring alcohol into line with rules being introduced this year for unhealthy food. The Times understands that alcohol advertising restrictions have now been dropped from the plan to be published on Thursday after public health measures were watered down. • Restaurants to report diners' calorie counts in obesity drive The development followed a furious response from the industry, which urged ministers not to add to burdens after a rise in national insurance and the minimum wage. Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, told ministers of 'extreme concern' in the industry, criticising advertising restrictions as 'disproportionate, misguided and economically damaging' and warning they could lead to bankruptcies. She pointed to figures showing under-age drinking at record lows as young people turned away from alcohol. 'The beer and pub sector is not just an economic engine — it is a cornerstone of British culture and sport,' McClarkin said. 'These proposals were not included in the Labour Party's 2024 manifesto and risk being widely perceived as anti-growth and anti-business.' Health campaigners condemned the retreat on advertising restrictions. Jem Roberts of the Institute of Alcohol Studies said: 'One of the main goals of the ten-year health plan was to 'shift from treatment to prevention' — yet if reports are accurate, all of the prevention policies for one of the leading causes of death have been stripped out. 'That would be a baffling contradiction at the heart of a plan meant to prioritise prevention.' He said 'alcohol giants making billions from harm will be rubbing their hands in glee', adding: 'Ministers must now stand up to private corporate profits, protect the most vulnerable and, if alcohol is too 'difficult' for the ten-year plan, commit to a standalone alcohol strategy where all evidence is reviewed and all cards put openly on the table.' Campaigners have been warning of a rise in alcohol deaths. More than 10,000 people a year die directly from alcohol in the UK and deaths in England are at record highs. Thousands more cancer deaths are thought to be attributable to alcohol. Treatment costs the NHS at least £3.5 billion a year.
