 "A child rides his scooter in front of a graffiti as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues. A new COVID variant known as XEC has begun spreading across the world, causing fear of a new surge. Representational image/Reuters")
The word variant was synonymous with mathematics. However, in 2020, variant became associated with COVID-19 as the virus kept mutating. Since then, many variants have come and gone, infecting thousands and thousands of people across the world.
Now, years after COVID first struck, a new variant has emerged — known as XEC — and it is sparking concerns that it may cause a coronavirus surge in the next few months in Europe and the United States.
What is known about this new variant? Where has it been detected? What do experts say about it? Are its symptoms any different from the other COVID variants? Read on to find out more.
What’s the XEC variant?
The XEC COVID-19 variant is a sub-lineage of the deadly Omicron variant. Medical experts have found the XEC to be a hybrid of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants or as Forbes reported, it is the love child of the two existing variants.
The KS.1.1 is a type of what’s commonly called a FLiRT variant, which contributed to a surge in COVID cases across the world. Meanwhile, KP.3.3 is a type of FLuQE variant, in which the amino acid glutamine is mutated to gluatmic acid, making it more efficient in binding to human cells.
Where has the XEC variant been detected?
The XEC was first detected in Berlin, Germany, in June. Since then, it has been detected across the United Kingdom, US, Denmark and several other countries. As per a report, in August, 10 per cent of Slovenia’s COVID cases came from this variant.
So far, over 500 samples from 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Portugal and China, have been found to contain XEC. In fact, Scripps Research’s “Outbreak.info” web page shows that the XEC variant, until September 3, has been detected in 15 countries and 12 US states.
Scripps Research Translational Institute Director Eric Topol wrote on X, “At this juncture, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely one to get legs next.” He further added that it may take “many weeks, a couple months, before it really takes hold and starts to cause a wave”.
Even COVID data analyst Mike Honey found that XEC was quickly becoming the new dominant variant, with him noting that the XEC showed strong growth in Denmark and Germany with 17 per cent caseload and also in the UK and Netherlands with 11-13 per cent.
Is the XEC variant fast spreading?
While the XEC variant is not the dominant strain currently, experts believe that it does have the makings to be one. Experts using data point that it is spreading more readily than other variants, though the reason for it is yet unknown.
However, some point to the fact that as it is a hybrid of KP.3.1.1, it could be fast-spreading. Earlier, the KP.3.1.1, led to a COVID surge in 80 countries, with some even calling it the ‘Summer of COVID’.
Mark Cameron, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, was quoted as telling _Women’s Healt_h, “Just like JN.1 emerged from BA.2.86 late last year to drive new COVID infections through last fall and winter, XEC may have similar potential.
“But we need to know more about the XEC variant and perhaps those still to come.”
Even Professor Francois Balloux, Director of the Genetics Institute at University College London has said that the XEC variant is more contagious. He was quoted as telling the BBC that the XEC has a “slight transmission advantage” and that it may become the dominant variant this winter.
What are the symptoms of the XEC variant?
Those infected with the XEC variant will display symptoms resembling those of the Omicron variant. As per the US’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting and diarrhoea.
The NHS, UK’s health agency, has also listed the same symptoms for those suffering from the XEC variant.
How can you stay safe?
As per experts, the best way to protect one’s self from the XEC variant is to vaccinate. The new vaccines, which have come out recently, are believed to be effective against KP.2, a predecessor of KP.3.1.1. Hence, experts note that it would be effective against the XEC variant too.
Dr Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, told the Los Angeles Times that the new vaccines would provide some good protection against XEC “because there is some overlap, because these are all sub, sub, sub-grandchildren of the original Omicron. So there is still going to be some level of protection there.”
“We’re not like in a new Greek letter — they’re not that much different; it’s not like something completely new,” Hudson said.
The CDC has also asked people to practice good hygiene.
With inputs from agencies