What is 'Stratus'? Inside the cough that New Yorkers can't seem to shake

"From subway cars to office cubicles, New Yorkers are hoarse and hacking this fall - sidelined by stubborn symptoms that just won't quit. While official data indicates that overall respiratory illness activity remains low across the city, experts say the effects of a late-summer surge caused by one particular virus are still being felt. "[It] may explain the ongoing upper respiratory symptoms," Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, told The Post."

"Enter Stratus: a fast-spreading COVID-19 strain known for causing a persistent, dry cough. Officially dubbed XFG, Stratus surged past its predecessor "Nimbus" (NB.1.8.1) in September to become the dominant variant in the US, fueling a wave of infections nationwide. "COVID-19 wastewater viral activity levels are currently high, indicating ongoing community transmission," Dr. Syra Madad, chief biopreparedness officer for NYC's public hospitals, told The Post."

"There is a glimmer of good news. "COVID-19 hospitalizations, while still elevated, have been declining since a peak in late September, and test positivity rates are also decreasing statewide," said Madad, who also serves as an infectious disease epidemiologist at Harvard's Belfer Center. Still, studies show that even mild Covid cases can cause lingering symptoms that outlast the average flu or cold - meaning many New Yorkers infected during the Stratus surge may still be struggling weeks later."

A late-summer surge of the XFG variant called Stratus produced widespread, persistent upper respiratory symptoms across New York City. Stratus overtook the NB.1.8.1 "Nimbus" variant in September and became the dominant U.S. strain, driving a wave of infections. Wastewater surveillance shows high COVID-19 viral activity even as reported respiratory illness levels remain relatively low. COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked in late September and have been declining alongside falling test positivity rates. Even mild COVID infections can cause lingering hoarseness, sore throats, and prolonged cough lasting weeks. Stratus mutations increase transmissibility by evading prior immunity, while vaccination still reduces severe outcomes.

Read at New York Post