The world is grappling with two new Covid variants that have emerged as global cases continue to rise and strain is particularly felt in UK hospitals, which have reintroduced the necessity of face coverings due to overcrowded wards and rising hospitalisations.
UK health experts link the latest wave of increased cases to the FLiRT variants KP2 and JN1 and fear the recently detected additions to this family of strains. Over in Australia, plunging temperatures are exacerbating an already overwhelming number of coronavirus cases.
Queensland's chief health officer, John Gerrard has indicated the increase is partly attributed to two newly identified variants, labelled FLuQE and de-FLiRT. For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here.
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Infectious diseases have not ranked this highly as a cause of death in Australia for the past fifty years - with Covid now claiming third place. The FLuQE variant, one of the most recent additions, is causing particular concern in the USA amidst reports of rapid spread.
Recent statistics in the UK show a 33.5% week-on-week upsurge in detected Covid cases, and fatalities also reflect the grim reality of the situation, with a 5% hike in England resulting in 146 Covid-related deaths.
Adrian Esterman, biostatistician from the University of South Australia, alerted of the escalating situation: "It's really starting to take off and in America, it's starting to skyrocket."
He shares concerns regarding potential increased transmissibility and ability to evade immunity in the FLuQE variant. Echoing this, Professor Paul Griffin of the University of Queensland shared with SBS: "We're sicker than usual this winter, and we're seeing a lot of things circulated simultaneously."
According to him, FLuQE has now overtaken FLiRT to become the most prevalent variant. During the peak of the pandemic, UK health officials kept a close eye on Australia's Covid situation to predict the potential impact on the UK in the upcoming winter.
