COVID Here comes COVID-19 version BA.2, BA.4, BA.5,...

[Astronuc]

Now we are up to the X's.
https://time.com/7300451/new-covid-19-variant-xfg/

XFG is spreading most widely in Southeast Asia, although cases have been reported in 38 countries. In the U.K., it accounts for 30% of COVID-19 infections, and in the U.S., 14% of confirmed cases are XFG, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (These data are likely incomplete: the CDC notes that since less data are being reported, the variant trackers are not precise.)

Persistent little buggers.

XFG is still in the Omicron family. It derives from the JN.1 Omicron group, which is the target of the latest COVID-19 vaccine. XFG is a combination of two other variants that have recombined: LF.7 and LP.8.1.2.

It is growing globally. Samples of XFG sent to the global database of genetic virus sequences jumped from 7% of all COVID-19 samples in May 2025 to nearly 23% a few weeks later, according to WHO. Compared to the variant NB.1.8.1—which is currently dominant in many countries, including in the U.S.—XFG contains nine additional mutations in the spike protein.

Vaccines seem to work against it​

Scientists are currently studying how well people are protected against severe disease from XFG. Researchers conducted lab studies using human cells and a "pseudovirus" stand-in for XFG, as well as animal studies, and found slightly lower immune responses to XFG.

XFG has another name! Stratus.
https://theconversation.com/xfg-cou...riant-heres-what-to-know-about-stratus-260499

This new subvariant is known as XFG (nicknamed “Stratus”) and the World Health Organization (WHO) designated it a “variant under monitoring” in late June. XFG is a subvariant of Omicron, of which there are now more than 1,000.

A “variant under monitoring” signifies a variant or subvariant which needs prioritised attention and monitoring due to characteristics that may pose an additional threat compared to other circulating variants.

XFG was one of seven variants under monitoring as of June 25. The most recent addition before XFG was NB.1.8.1 (nicknamed “Nimbus”), which the WHO declared a variant under monitoring on May 23.

Both nimbus and stratus are types of clouds.

Nimbus is currently the dominant subvariant worldwide – but Stratus is edging closer. So what do you need to know about Stratus, or XFG?

I like XFG better. The 'stratoshere' will never the same.

What happened to cumulonimbus?

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/25062025_xfg_ire.pdf?sfvrsn=fab54cd7_1

 

[OmCheeto]

One interesting tidbit I calculated a few days ago was that it will take the flu 35 years to kill as many people as Covid did over the last 5 1/2 years.

This is based on the flu killing an average of 35,000 people per year, and my current sum of 1.24 million Covid deaths.
The source of these numbers is the US CDC, so these numbers are for the U.S. only.

 

[Astronuc]

COVID cases are high in Texas, California, Oregon, Nevada, New Mexico and other states in the West and South Central part of the country.
https://thehill.com/homenews/nexsta...-is-spiking-again-especially-in-these-states/

(NEXSTAR) – The U.S. is seeing a late summer surge in COVID-19 cases, tracking from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

The spike is particularly pronounced in one region of the country, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, where about 15% of COVID tests reported to the CDC are turning up positive.

But practically the entire Western country isn’t far behind. A dozen more states west of the Mississippi reported test positivity rates about 10% last week.

Edit/update: https://www.buzzfeed.com/jillianwilson/covid-surge-west-center-states

“We are seeing cases increase here in Houston, and in Texas, and if we look at the data that is available from [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], it certainly seems like the South Central US — Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana — are seeing some of the higher test positivity rates in the in the country,” said Dr. S. Wesley Long, the medical director of diagnostic microbiology at Houston Methodist Hospital.

Seems to be spreading in major transportation hubs and high population density areas.