NHS guidance for 'American Covid' as widespread respiratory illness breaks out in UK

The NHS has issued guidance on how people can protect themselves from American Covid as cases of the virus are on the rise.

Figures from the UK Health Security Agency have shown that there were 4,589 reported cases in September, a significant increase of 230 percent from the 1,374 reported cases in August.

This big increase was also reflected in a rise in the number of hospital admissions for Covid, which rose by 420 percent over the same period, from 950 to 4,939, with over half of the positive cases being linked to the XFG variant.

In a blog post the UKHSA has also issued a warning about the condition, advising people who show symptoms of it to stay away from people who are immunocompromised and to self-isolate.

"If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as Covid-19, and you have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, you should avoid contact with vulnerable people and stay at home if possible," said the UKHSA.

Cases are on the rise as the days are getting colder (Getty Stock)

The name 'American Covid' refers to the XFG Covid variants, with the UKHSA explaining that the condition was named for the place where it was first detected and then sequenced, not necessarily where it originated.

There are also concerns that the actual figures of infections are higher as these do not account for people experiencing milder symptoms, who can also spread the virus to people who may be vulnerable to having more serious symptoms.

Nonetheless, while there is a spike in cases as we move into the colder months of the year, the UKHSA said that cases are still far below their highest point back in January 2021.

At this time there were over 20,000 people in hospital, according to the UKHSA.

The NHS has advised that people who believe that they have covid should self-isolate for three to five days, avoiding contact with other people, while for people under 18 this is three days.

If someone has a positive covid test then they should avoid contact with people who are immunocompromised for a period of at least 10 days.

People have been advised to avoid contact with immunocompromised people if they test positive (Getty Stock)

The current rise in cases has come as health bosses in the UK have advised people to start getting both flu and Covid as we start to move into winter, when we typically start to see a rise in cases each year.

Symptoms of the condition have also been shared in an effort to help people spot if they may have picked it up.

If you have the XFG strain of covid then you may find that you feel excessively tired or exhausted, because the condition impacts your upper airway.

Other symptoms can include hoarseness, a fever, a cough, and a sore throat, which are also symptoms which match the Omicron variant of Covid.

Most of the time if you show symptoms you do not need to take a lateral flow test, the NHS has said, though it has warned about avoiding contact with people who are immunocompromised, such as the elderly, small children, and people with a disability or medical condition which makes them vulnerable to respiratory conditions.