The latest figures also highlighted two of the most dominant Covid variants at the moment
People should stay vigilant for signs of COVID-19 as there’s been a marginal uptick in cases across the UK. Government data reveals that in the week up to June 15, there has been an increase in the number of confirmed Covid infections in England.
This included people in hospital who were given PCR tests. Hospital admissions due to coronavirus also increased slightly compared to the previous week.
The predominant strains circulating during that time were identified as LP. 8.1.1 and XFG, each contributing to 19.87 per cent of the reported cases. Also present was the “Nimbus” strain or NB.1.8.1, representing 3.97 per cent of infections.
LP. 8.1.1 evolved from LP. 8.1 which itself is a descendant of Omicron, with the original LP.8.1 having surfaced in July 2024 and later categorised as a “variant under monitoring” by WHO in January.
Symptoms
Currently, it remains uncertain whether LP. 8.1.1 triggers specific symptoms distinctive from other strains. Thomas Jeffries, a senior microbiology lecturer at Western Sydney University, observed that LP.8.1 does not seem to be responsible for exceptionally severe symptoms.
Writing for The Conversation, he said: “Notably, the symptoms of LP.8.1 don’t appear to be any more severe than other circulating strains. And the WHO has evaluated the additional public health risk LP.8.1 poses at a global level to be low.
“What’s more, LP.8.1 remains a variant under monitoring, rather than a variant of interest or a variant of concern. In other words, these changes to the virus with LP.8.1 are small, and not likely to make a big difference to the trajectory of the pandemic.”
However, according to the NHS, one definitive symptom of Covid is a new or persistent cough, which may involve three or more “coughing episodes” in 24 hours.
Other indicators on the list are:
- 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 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 NHS guidance for those with symptoms of Covid suggests self-isolation until recovery. For those who receive a positive Covid test result, the NHS advocates staying home and away from others for five days, although it’s not legally required.
Further analysis of recent Covid statistics reveals that the weekly mean positivity rate for PCR tests in English hospitals was up slightly at 6.6 per cent for the week leading up to June 15, compared to 6.2 per cent in the prior week.
The total weekly hospital admission rate for COVID-19 saw a slight rise to 1.53 per 100,000 from the previous week’s 1.44 per 100,000. However, the overall rate of COVID-19 patients in ICU or HDU remained steady at 0.04 per 100,000, mirroring the previous week’s figure.