A mystery bug is spreading across Bristol leaving some feeling 'faint' and 'achy'. Despite being spring, flu-type infections are still being contracted by locals across our city.
Taking to Reddit, one person said: "Is there a bug going around at the moment where you feel faint / low blood pressure?". Dozens of people replied, with many saying they have experienced something similar.
One person wrote: "This is exactly how i feel right now. ive been in bed the last 2 days aching something awful". Another said: "I had a sore throat and awful headache come on quick last night and been in bed all day with aches and fever. Feels like a substantial virus."
READ MORE: Carers working for Bristol City Council can face sanctions for self-isolating with coronavirus
A third wrote: "You can suddenly develop hay-fever (or any allergy) for no reason and suffer for the rest of your life with it, so hopefully not this, but don't count it out!
"Keep an eye on pollen levels and how you feel for the next few days/weeks and see if there's a link."
Lots of people were suggesting that it could be the new strain of Covid, which experts say is the most contagious yet. One person wrote: "Yeah, the new strain of covid!!! Both of us had 2 days of feeling lightheaded and dizzy with low blood pressure. This came after two days of aching and feeling rundown with chills and fever. Tested positive on the weekend."
Another said: "Had this when I had COVID 3 weeks ago."
Covid variant Arcturus' new symptoms
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is also focusing its attention on the new Omicron variant XBB.1.16. It was first detected in January. Experts are monitoring its spread.
Arcturus is known to be a subvariant of Omicron - and has been linked to one death. So far, it has been found in 22 countries including the UK, USA, Australia and Singapore.
Latest research says that Arcturus could be 1.2 times more infectious than the most recent sub-variant of coronavirus. Dr Connor Bamford, from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen's University Belfast, has answered questions about the new variant and its impact.
Likely mostly similar to before with most people exhibiting mild cold-like symptoms but with the capacity to cause severe lung infection in vulnerable people. There is also the very real risk of Long Covid. For XBB.1.16, some have noted conjunctivitis (sticky, crusty eyes) in kids.
Current booster vaccines should be helpful against this variant as will previous recent infections. As Covid-19 is not going away, vaccination (including boosters) offers the best protection from infection and disease, especially if vulnerable (such as the elderly).
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