New Covid variants and symptoms to look out for as UK cases spike

Jon Macpherson & Kate Lally

25 June 2024 at 4:51 am·2-min read

Coronavirus cases in the UK jumped by 7.8% in the week up to June 12 with a new group of variants thought to be behind the increase.

A total of 2,053 people reported contracting the virus with Covid deaths rose by 26.4% in the week up to June 7, up from 110 to 139. However, patients admitted to healthcare settings with Covid fell in the week up to May 29/

It was down from 1,718 to 1,567, according to the latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data. The new variant has been named FLiRT after the technical name for its mutation and this group includes the KP. 3, KP.2 and KP. 1.1 strains.

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Last month, Lara Herrero, Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease at Griffith University, said the FLiRT variants "may be more transmissible than earlier Covid variants.", reports the ECHO. She told The Conversation: "In more positive news, there’s no evidence the FLiRT variants cause more severe disease than earlier variants.

"Still, that doesn’t mean catching a covid infection driven by FLiRT is risk-free."

Covid symptoms

According to the NHS, symptoms can include:

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 new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
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 symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such as colds and flu. Most people feel better within a few days or weeks of their first Covid symptoms and make a full recovery within 12 weeks.

For some people, it can be a more serious illness and their symptoms can last longer.

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Covid symptoms

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