U.S. health officials report summer COVID surge linked to Stratus variant
U. S. health officials reported a summer rise in COVID-19 infections driven by the Stratus offshoot, noting that patients are also experiencing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea alongside the usual respiratory signs. Earlier in the season, doctors in Albany, Georgia, warned that COVID-19 and flu cases were climbing and that many patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms.
Subsequent reports from other U. S. physicians echoed the trend, describing a surge in respiratory infections accompanied by stomach-related complaints. The Independent identified the XFG (Stratus) variant as the likely driver and cautioned that infection rates could reach 10-15 % if the pattern persisted.