New XEC Covid variant surges as hospital cases rise - full list of symptoms

A new strain is rising across the UK and other countries

Health experts have warned that Covid cases are rising across the UK - including a worrying new strain. Covid-19 activity is increasing across 'most indicators', the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.

Hospitalisations have increased to 4.55 per 100,000 compared to 3.72 per 100,000 in the previous week, with 59 COVID -19 'acute respiratory incidents' reported. Positive cases of Covid were highest in those aged 85 or more.

The highest hospital admission rate is currently in the North East at 8.12 per 100,000, a report from the UKHSA said. People aged 85 years and over had the highest hospital admission rate, which jumped to 52.48 per 100,000 compared with 40.39 in the previous week.

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Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said: "COVID-19 is continuing to circulate, with a slight increase in hospitalisations over the past two weeks. As winter approaches, we expect flu and RSV to increasingly circulate too, so if you’re eligible to get vaccinated against the three main winter threats – COVID-19, flu and RSV – now is the time to take them up and get winter strong.

"We understand people may be concerned about new variants. Our surveillance shows that where covid cases are sequenced, around 1 in 10 are the ‘XEC’ lineage. Current information doesn’t suggest we should be more concerned about this variant but we are monitoring this closely.

"The most important thing to do is to get your vaccination as soon as possible if you’re eligible. If you are showing symptoms of flu or COVID-19 such as a high temperature, cough, and feeling tired and achy, try to limit your contact with others, especially those who are vulnerable."

The NHS issued guidance on what you should do if you get ill as experts believe a new strain could soon become dominant in the UK. Isolation rules are no longer mandatory but you should try to stay at home and avoid contact with others for five days after you took your test, the NHS said.

You should also avoid contact with vulnerable people 10 days after testing positive. This warning comes as experts believe a new strain could be highly transmissible due to its mutations.

The XEC variant was first discovered in Germany and has since been found in 27 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America. Data from the UKHSA shows cases of Covid increased by 2.8 per cent - on top of a 21.6 per cent rise in England in the previous week.

In the seven days up to October 2, there were 2,912 recorded cases of Covid - an increase of 78 from the week prior. In the week up to September 27 there were 128 covid related deaths recorded. There were 2,622 patients admitted to hospital with Coronavirus in the seven days to September 28.

What to do if you have Covid symptoms

The NHS has recommended that you try to stay at home and avoid contact with others if you:

• Have a high temperature
• Or do not feel well enough to go to work, school or do your normal activities

This is even if you do not take a test. It said: "You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature.

"If your child has mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat or mild cough, and they feel well enough, they can go to school or childcare."

Symptoms

Symptoms of XEC are thought to be similar to other strains of Covid and 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.