Pharmacist shares how long new 'Stratus' Covid lasts as symptom alert issued

Concerns have been raised about a new Covid strainthat is transmitting far more quickly than previous strains, with one symptom that can go "easily missed."

Stratus, which has two different variants - XFG and XFG.3 - was first detected in January of this year. By June, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared XFG to be 'under monitoring' on account of its 'increasing proportions globally'.

By early September, the UK Health Security Agency reported a 7.1 per cent rise inCovid cases across England compared with the week prior, although it's not clear how many patients were affected by the XFG strain.

Meanwhile, health experts over in Ireland recorded 425 new infections in the first week of September, with the XFG variant understood to be behind the majority of new cases.

READ MORE: New Covid 'Stratus' strain has 'peculiar symptoms' as doctor shares three rules to follow

While this new variant shares many similarities with previous strains, there are some key differences to consider. Here, Umar Razzaq from PharmacyOnline explains what exactly to look out for.

Speaking with the Mirror, the pharmacist said: "The new 'Stratus' variant of Covid was first identified in Southeast Asia in early 2025 and has now become common in the UK.

"It generally causes mild-moderate symptoms and is not considered more dangerous than previous variants of the virus. Symptoms are generally similar to what people would expect from Covid, namely a cough, fevers and feeling generally tired or unwell.

"It appears the Stratus variety can particularly cause a sore throat and hoarse voice, which may be easily missed by patients."

Mr Razzaq also shed some light on how long sufferers may be left dealing with symptoms, sharing: "Symptoms usually last five to ten days for most people who have mild to moderate cases.

"Full recovery may take one to two weeks for healthy individuals. Those with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems may take two to four weeks to recover.

"Patients should follow the standard precautions and advice for Covid, and seek medical attention if they are concerned or have severe symptoms."

This comes as Dr Kader, who shares medical wisdom via his TikTok channel @ask.doctor.k, warned that, while Stratus often causes a "milder" infection, it is more contagious.

He told followers: "You may have noticed that everyone is getting sick this week, and we've seen a huge rise in Covid cases in hospital patients, and part of the reason why infections are spreading fast is because the weather is changing, it's getting a bit colder, people are staying indoors more and just passing the bugs to each other."

Bearing this in mind, Dr Kader recommended keeping to three important steps to help reduce infection risks:

• Regular handwashing
• Keeping your home well-ventilated
• Consider wearing a face mask when entering crowded places

It's also advised that people keep an eye out for all 18 recognised symptoms of COVID, which are as follows:

• Fever (high temperatures of 38 °C or above)
• Dry cough
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• A loss or changes to your sense of smell or taste
• Nasal congestion
• Conjunctivitis
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Painful muscles or joints
• Skin rash
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Chills
• Cizziness
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Appetite loss
• Confusion
• Pain or pressure in the chest.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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