A new Covid variant called XFG, tagged on social media as 'American Covid' or 'Stratus Covid', is being tracked across the United Kingdom. Hospitalisations linked to the variant have risen more than 400% in a single month, according to coverage by The Independent and the Daily Mirror.

Health media in the UK and India are raising concerns as one that can persist for weeks at a time, with two symptoms drawing particular attention online. Officials have not yet released detailed guidance, but the sharp increase in hospitalisations has prompted alerts across health and news platforms.