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CORONAVIRUS
XFG 'Stratus' COVID Variant Spreading Rapidly in US as Cases Rise. Know These Symptoms
The XFG COVID-19 variant, aka "Stratus," is spreading rapidly in the U.S. as cases climb. Here's what to know about symptoms of the newly dominant strain.
Updated Sept. 6, 2025, 3:44 AM GMT+8 / Source: TODAY
As fall approaches, COVID-19 cases are still surging in much of the United States. The country has yet to emerge from a late summer COVID wave driven by the highly contagious new “Stratus” variant, which is sickening Americans from coast to coast.
Data show COVID-19 infections are growing in nearly half of U.S. states, predominantly in the West and South. Emergency room visits due to COVID are also surging among all age groups.
The rise in cases comes as confusion grows around who can get the updated COVID-19 vaccines this fall.
Although the uptick is concerning, especially amid shifting vaccination guidelines, it isn't a surprise to experts. COVID-19 cases have spiked every summer since the pandemic began.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates often, giving rise to new strains of the virus that are often more transmissible and better at evading immunity than their predecessors.
The current COVID surge is being driven by the mutated XFG variant, aka "Stratus," which is spreading rapidly worldwide.
XFG was first detected in the U.S. in March, but it took several months for the strain to surpass the NB.1.8.1 or “Nimbus" variant.
Currently, Stratus is the dominant variant circulating in the U.S., according to wastewater data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although the CDC says the level of COVID viral activity in wastewater is “moderate” nationally, at least 20 states are reporting “high” or "very high” levels. Hotspots include California, Texas, Utah, and South Carolina.
It’s unclear when this summer wave will wane. As of Sept. 2, the CDC estimates that COVID infections are growing or likely growing in 24 states, unchanged in 15 states, and declining or likely declining in just 7 states, according to forecasting models.
What is the Stratus variant, which symptoms does it cause, and will COVID vaccines protect against it?
What Is the XFG "Stratus" Variant?
XFG was first detected in January in Southeast Asia. By June, the World Health Organization had classified XFG as a “variant under monitoring” due to its rapid global spread.
“(XFG) is part of the very large omicron family of variants,” Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.
XFG is a recombinant or hybrid of two existing omicron strains, LF.7 and LP.8.1.2, according to the WHO.
This means XFG has a mixture of genetic material from these two variants, which may make it better able to bind to cells in the body and cause infection, Dr. Albert Ko, professor of public health, epidemiology and medicine at Yale School of Public Health, previously told TODAY.com.
“NB.1.18.1 (Nimbus) and XFG (Stratus) appear to be more transmissible compared to other variants,” Ko said.
XFG also has several unique mutations in its spike protein, which have been shown to improve the virus's ability to evade COVID-19 antibodies from prior infection or vaccination, per the WHO.
However, the WHO assesses the public health risk posed by XFG to be “low,” and current data do not indicate that Stratus causes more severe illness.
"All these newer omicron variants are highly contagious, but apparently not as severe," says Schaffner.
XFG was given its cloud-themed nickname “Stratus” on “X” by evolutionary biologist T. Ryan Gregory, who also coined "Nimbus" and other popular variant names.
XFG "Stratus" Variant Now Dominant in US
In early May, XFG accounted for less 3% of infections in the U.S., per the CDC's Nowcast estimates. However, Stratus started surging in June and July. During the four-week period ending Aug. 30, XFG accounted for an estimated 78% of COVID cases.
Wastewater sequencing data also show Stratus is the dominant variant in the U.S. As of Aug. 30, XFG accounts for over 76% of wastewater samples sequenced by the CDC.
Data from WastewaterSCAN, which monitors diseases through municipal wastewater systems, also show that the XFG variant is the most abundant variant in the U.S., a spokesperson told TODAY.com.
The CDC has not published data on the regional spread of XFG, but according to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) open-access database, XFG has been spreading in most U.S. states since July.
Is Stratus Causing a Summer Surge?
“We’re seeing a substantial upswing in cases consistent with the anticipated late summer increase that we have seen over the last four years,” Schaffner says.
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