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A brand new pressure of Covid rising within the UK is spreading as instances enhance at a excessive price, the UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) has stated.
Referred to as XEC, the pressure is a mix of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants. Figures from the UKHSA present that the admission price for sufferers testing optimistic for the brand new pressure rose to 4.5 per 100,000 individuals within the week to October 6. This was up from 3.7 per week earlier.
It’s thought the XEC pressure is extra transmissible on account of its quite a few mutations, and presents signs just like these of different Covid variants together with tiredness, complications, a sore throat and excessive temperatures.
Though self-isolation is not a authorized requirement within the UK, the NHS has suggested anybody who checks optimistic for Covid to keep away from contact with others for no less than 5 days.
It’s also really useful that contact with extra weak individuals be prevented for 10 days, to cut back the chance to them. As a basic rule, it’s suggested anybody with signs no less than look ahead to them to subside earlier than returning to regular actions.
Right here’s what you might want to know in regards to the new Covid XEC pressure:
What are Covid XEC signs?
The XEC pressure presents comparable chilly and flu-like signs to earlier variants.
They embrace:
Find out how to get vaccinated
The NHS has began providing autumn Covid boosters to essentially the most weak. The next teams can have an NHS Covid booster between 3 October and 20 December:
Those that qualify for the jab can even e book their very own appointments through the NHS App, exterior, GPs, pharmacies, drop-in clinics, exterior or by calling 119, exterior.
