The new 'Kraken' Covid variant has been reported in the UK with health experts warning about the "ultra transmissible" strain. The variant, named officially as XBB 1.5, has already spread across the USA.
It comes as the World Health Organisation has expressed concern over the new strain. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for Covid, said: “We are concerned about its growth advantage in particular in some countries in Europe and in the US... particularly the Northeast part of the United States, where XBB.1.5 has rapidly replaced other circulating variants.
"Our concern is how transmissible it is… and the more this virus circulates, the more opportunities it will have to change.” According to Covid monitoring app Zoe, the most commonly reported symptoms include a sore throat, blocked nose and runny nose.
Read more: New Covid variant 'most transmissible yet' hits UK as NHS drugs run out
As well as sneezing, a cough with or without phlegm, a headache, hoarse voice, muscle pains and an altered smell. It has also been reported the XBB 1.5 is the “most transmissible yet”.
The highly infectious XBB.1.5 version is now causing around 70 percent of new infections in US hotspots where it is spreading fastest, the Mirror reports. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned that winter illnesses, including flu and Covid-19, continue to circulate at “high levels”.
As a result, officials are urging people to keep children with a fever off school and are advising unwell adults to wear face masks to stem the spread of infections. It comes as pharmacists have reported shortages of common medicines for colds and flu including throat lozenges, cough mixtures and some painkillers.
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