According to experts, the COVID-XEC variant is already appearing in 27 countries
As flu season approaches, new variants of COVID-19 are emerging.
A newly discovered COVID strain called XEC continues to spread rapidly in several countries, including the United States
Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info site, last updated on September 5, reported 95 XEC cases in 12 U.S. states and 15 different countries.
However, Australia-based data integration specialist Mike Honey wrote on X Saturday that the new variant that emerged in Berlin last June has appeared in hundreds of other patients in 27 countries in Europe, North America and Asia.
The omicron variant KP.3.1.1, also known as deFLuQE, accounted for over half (52.7%) of COVID-19 cases between September 1 and 14. However, scientists say XEC and a variant known as MV.1 appear to be the next dominant strains.
“At this point, the XEC variant appears to be the one that will gain a foothold next,” Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote of X.
What is the XEC variant?
The XEC COVID-19 strain first appeared in Berlin at the end of June and has spread throughout Europe, North America and Asia, according to Honey. A total of around 550 samples were found.
The variant has been registered in 27 countries, including China, Ukraine, Norway and Poland.
What is variant MV.1?
The COVID-19 variant MV.1 was first documented in Maharashtra, India, in late June and has now been detected in nine countries, including the United States, Honey reported.
The disease is widespread on four continents, including Portugal, Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands. In the United States, it has mainly occurred in the northeast, according to Honey.
How many cases of the XEC variant have been discovered in the United States?
According to Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info page, last updated on September 5, at least 95 sequences of the XEC lineage were identified between June 28 and August 20, including 25 in the United States.
COVID XEC symptoms
The CDC has not confirmed whether there are symptoms unique to the XEC variant. USA TODAY has reached out to CDC officials for comment.
The agency further describes the basic COVID-19 symptoms, which can appear between two and 14 days after contact with the virus and can range from mild to severe.
These are some of the symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- fatigue
- Muscle or limb pain
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
According to the CDC, you should see a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:
- Breathing difficulties
- Persistent chest pain or pressure
- New confusion
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Pale, gray or bluish skin, lips or nail beds
How can we protect ourselves from XEC and other variants?
The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older, with some exceptions, receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine for 2024-2025 to protect against the virus, regardless of whether you have been previously vaccinated or infected.
Contributor: Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY
