XFG American Covid surge - are you worried about new strain? Take our poll and have your say

XFG American Covid surge - are you worried about new strain? Take our poll and have your say The latest Covid variant to make the rounds is causing thousands of new infections, according to the UKHSA - and has left some members of the public afraid of being infected XFG Covid, also known as Stratus or American Covid, has established a foothold in the UK, with thousands of new cases documented by health officials and Brits calling off work in their droves. Many will know one or two people who have come down with a bug in recent weeks, causing a slew of nasty symptoms ranging from a stuffy nose to severe cough. While some of those experiencing those features will have contracted one of any number of seasonal bugs, thousands have caught the latest iteration of the Covid virus. The virus is behind a recent surge in Covid cases and hospitalisations, according to the latest data from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKSA), and people have been advised to prepare if they believe they're at risk. XFG is one of a series of Covid variants within the coronavirus genetic lineage, and has been circulating through the US for some time. It was responsible for a major outbreak in 2025, and, according to the UKHSA has been making the rounds again this year. So far, monthly figures from the agency show that 4,589 people have contracted Covid, a 230 percent jump from the 1,374 reported in August. Hospital admissions have jumped in kind rising from 950 the same month to 4,939 in September - a surge of around 420 per cent. The overall rate of positive Covid tests taken in hospitals, those same figures show, has increased to seven percent from 5.9 percent. Some people have been left terrified of the virus since contracting it for the first time when the pandemic initially took hold. One person writing on Reddit said: "I'm in my 20s, was perfectly fit, sporty, and healthy, and have been f****d since I got COVID 5 years ago. Was housebound for a couple years. Still unable to exercise or do sports. Elevated heart rate, brainfog, chronic fatigue etc ... COVID terrifies me. News of the increased caseload has led some people to realise the symptoms they've been experiencing lately could have been this new strain. One social media user posting on X said: "I’ve been sick for ages now and just found out about that 'American Covid' going around the uk.." Another posting on Reddit added: "Pretty sure I had it. Sore throat for a week, then turned into a head hold. Started feeling better but then hit with serious fatigue & fever. Just about over it 2 weeks later." American Covid isn't unlike other strains of the virus, and presents with similar symptoms - although a hallmark is a sore, scratchy throat. Other symptoms of the new variant include: - Shortness of breath - Feeling sick (nausea), loss of appetite or stomach aches - Headaches and muscle pain - Brain fog or trouble concentrating - Diarrhea - Sinus congestion or a runny nose Severe symptoms - which warrant emergency attention and a 999 call - include: - Feeling very suddenly and severely unwell, with symptoms only continuing to get worse - Sudden chest pain - Intense breathlessness that prevents people from finishing even short sentences, even while resting - Breathing suddenly gets worse - Coughing up blood - Collapsing, fainting, or other loss of consciousness, and experiencing a seizure for the first time - Inability to wake or stay awake - New confusion - Lips, nail beds and skin appearing pale, gray or blue - depending on skin tone - A rash that behaves in the same way as meningitis - it does not fade when a glass is rolled over it