Russian Tourists Report New Coronavirus Outbreak in Kazakhstan

Russian tourists report a sharp rise in illnesses caused by a new coronavirus strain in Kazakhstan — 'Stratus'.

Consensus

• Russian tourists reported a sharp rise in coronavirus infections in Kazakhstan.
• The new variant is named 'Stratus'.
• Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, sore throat, cough, runny nose, phlegm, and loss of smell.
• Illness duration lasts three to four weeks.
• Infection can occur within hours: healthy in the morning, symptomatic by evening.
• Most patients treat themselves, but hospitalizations have occurred.
• The variant is referred to as XFG 'Stratus'.

Points of divergence

• Virologist Viktor Zuev suggests the infection may have been brought to Kazakhstan by Kazakhstani tourists from China. — vm
• Viktor Krasnov, head of the department of infectious diseases at the Volga Research Medical University, stated that coronavirus no longer poses a danger as it has become a seasonal respiratory illness. — vm

Coverage (2 sources)

• Mash: Russians are becoming massively infected with a new coronavirus strain in Kazakhstan — Вечерняя Москва
• Russian tourists report sharp rise in illnesses from new coronavirus strain in Kazakhstan — "Stratus". People are getting sick... — Mash

Key entities

• Kazakhstan
• Mash