Covid deaths surge as hay fever-like signs go away Brits in danger

Covid deaths in the UK are surging again, new government figures show.

Released earlier this week, the new data shows a whopping 17.5% increase in the seven days leading up to June 28. The death toll for that week stands at 168, with a 2.2% rise in hospitalisations also reported.

That stands at 2,797 people currently in hospital beds around the UK – 61 more than the previous week. Cases of people with the virus, however, have dropped by 16.6%, down 549 from the previous week to 2,761.

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And the last stat given by the government is that 14.6% of people taking the tests are found to be positive, with that data going up to June 29. News of the rise comes days after an expert warned that what most people think is hay fever is actually Covid – and assuming the former could be a dangerous thing to do.

The new Covid FLiRT variant is responsible for the already-mentioned increase, accompanied by the summer seeing an unusual surge in stuffy noses and heavy coughs as high pollen levels.

The FLiRT variant of Covid is thought to be behind the increase in hospital admissions related to the virus last month and currently represents about 40% of all Covid cases in the UK. This alarming figure rises to 69% of cases in the US.

Meanwhile, the number of people suffering from hay fever in the UK continues to grow each year. The NHS estimates that around 20% of UK residents will experience reactions this summer, following a mid-June report which saw a 147% increase in hayfever sufferers seeking NHS advice.

Those who have previously suffered from hay fever are also reporting more severe symptoms this year, making it harder to differentiate between the strikingly similar symptoms of Covid.

On first glance, the symptoms of FLiRT variants appear similar to a number of other conditions including fever, persistent coughs, sore throats, upset stomach and loss or change of taste and smell, not unlike hay fever.

However, the key distinction between hay fever and FLiRT is that the latter is contagious. Rebecca Owen, an exercise and sports lecturer at the University of Derby, said: “A lot of people have had Covid-19, and infections can make us more susceptible to allergies.

“They can activate the immune response in what’s called mast cell activation syndrome, so while more studies are needed, it could be that some of those who have been infected with Covid may then develop hay fever.”

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