Corona is apparently over, nobody likes to talk about it-but since the end of the summer vacation, flu-like diseases have been piling up in Mainz. According to many doctors, an old acquaintance is responsible for this who never gone: Corona is back. This time it is to blame a new Corona variant called “Stratus”, which should be even more contagious-the main symptoms are sharp sore throat and diarrhea this time. The problem: While a large part of the disease is mild, the disease symptoms often last long – and Corona can wake up old health problems.
There is hardly any talk about the Coronavirus that it is “stopped”, it is said to be “living with it”, it is “like flu”. But that was never Corona and it will never be: Experts warned from the start that Sars-Cov-2 is not a flu, but a severe multi-organ disease that, in addition to the lungs, can also damage the heart, kidneys and nervous systems and even trigger severe brain inflammation. From the first appearance of Covid-19, the doctors found that the disease is a chameleon-and it triggers long-term consequences to an previously unknown extent.
The problem with this: Health problems are often increasing after multiple corona infection, apparently occurring out of the blue-but the connection with Corona is not recognized at all. Now a new Corona variant ensures worrying lines among doctors and health experts: XFG, called Stratus, is currently ensuring significant corona infection waves worldwide, because the new mutation is highly contagious. In Mainz, too, doctors report in rows of significantly increased virus infections in their office hours and a wave of illness, but according to Robert Koch Institute, the “summer flu” has a clear name: Corona.
Coronaviruses in wastewater and significantly increased in tests
According to the latest epidemiological report of the RKI of September 10, 2025, the National Reference Center (NRZ) for influenza viruses in the 36th calendar week were sent a total of 36 samples from 15 medical practices – “mainly rhinoviruses and sars – cov.” All other respiratory viruses of the pathogen panel were “less common or not at all”, in particular other influenza viruses did not occur practically at all. In contrast, the number of registered, laboratory diagnostically confirmed COVID-19 cases increased significantly with 2,055 cases compared to the previous week-there were still 1,633 cases.
This makes it clear that the current rampant “summer flu” is a Corona wave in reality. The main symptoms are sharp or even “razor -like” sore throat, and sudden diarrhea also seems to be a main symptom, in addition there are body aches and slurry, muscle pain and slight fever. Affected people also report that the symptoms often do not go away for a long time, you continue to feel tired and “done”.
The observations are also confirmed by the RKI wastewater monitoring: The Sars-COV-2 virus load observed in sewage treatment plants has increased in the past few weeks, the RKI-that of the “normal” influenza virus load, would continue to be at a low level. The measurements for Mainz confirm this: While influenza viruses are extremely low, the Corona vir curve has increased significantly since the beginning of September.
Stratus ensures new, highly contagious corona hubs in Mainz
From August 4th to 31st, “the number of the transmitted COVID-19 cases rose significantly,” the RKI report said at the end of August. With 64 percent, the most common variant is “The Recombinant Sars-Cov-2-Line XFG”-in short: stratus. “Despite increasing evidence, no increased risk of XFG for public health is currently being seen in Germany,” says RKI, also with effects on the effectiveness of the COVID 19 vaccines against serious illnesses.
However, this ignores several factors – especially the fact that Corona is almost no longer tested. Most of the sick should therefore not even know that they have a corona infection, but even more difficult courses or even follow-up problems cannot be recognized. Fast tests are still effective, emphasized doctors and pharmacies – however, you have to catch the time when the virus load is high enough for proof. Anyone who initially pursues diffuse symptoms too late or too early will be at a loss with a negative test.
Even a light corona disease can “reactivate” health problems in the body-for example if the patient had to struggle with Long Covid problems beforehand. According to experts, the risk of long -term consequences is increasing, the more often you infect the coronavirus, even an apparently light infection can have serious consequences. Additional vaccinations are recommended, but Corona vaccinations can hardly be obtained-and since January 2025, health insurance companies have not been paid for if you are under 60 years and do not belong to a defined risk group.
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Covid-19: Even after a mild course, change in the immune system
By the way: In autumn 2024, a Corona wave of Mainz and the Republic also had a firm grip on, and there was talk of the highest sick leave for 340 years. The high sick leave even contributed significantly to the recession in Germany, even reported the mirror – the word that almost nobody liked to put in the mouth at the time was: Corona. Several Corona waves had obviously had significant consequences for the immune system in many people, researchers across the summer of 2024: even after mild disease courses, a significant reduction in immune cells in the blood was to be determined.
“For COVID-19-reading, this means that your immune system may no longer react optimally,” warned a research team from the MedUni Vienna in a study published in the renowned specialist journal “Allergy”, Covid-19 leads “even with a mild course of the immune system,” said the researcher. Man: “Covid-19 awakens viruses that have not yet been removed from the body.” The result: long -lasting symptoms of illness and, in the worst case, long -term consequences. So you should never underestimate a corona infection.
Info & on Mainz &: You can read our detailed report on the possible consequences of a corona infection from 2024 here at Mainz &. We found very detailed information about Long Covid at this health portal in Austria. And: The current dashboards of the Robert Koch Institute on the subject of flu viruses, coronavirus and respiratory diseases including tables and reports can be found here on the Internet.
