A new “stronger” subvariant of the coronavirus, Covid XEC, is spreading across Europe and around the world, causing concern among experts.
The XEC strain of the coronavirus was first identified last June in Germany and has since been detected in 15 countries across three continents.
According to experts, this subvariant is expected to become dominant in a few months when temperatures drop in the northern hemisphere and the weather cools down.
What is the new XEC subvariant of the coronavirus?
The XEC is a combination of the variants KS.1.1 (which belongs to the FLiRT category) and KP.3.3 (also known as the FLuQE variant), and its infections are increasing at a rate of 3.8% per day or 27% per week, making it one of the fastest-spreading subvariants of the coronavirus so far.
Dr. Eric Topol, a professor of Molecular Medicine and vice president of the Scripps Research Institute in California, told the Los Angeles Times that XEC is “just starting to spread around the world,” as its dissemination is still in the early stages in the U.S., and this “will take many weeks, two months, before it predominates globally,” potentially causing a new wave of Covid-19 cases.
Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, head of the Infectious Diseases Department at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California, emphasized that health experts will continue to monitor the development of the new subvariant’s spread in the coming weeks.
Pagoni on the new coronavirus subvariant XEC: The Germans are alarmed – It has not yet arrived in our country
As she mentioned, cases of XEC have already been reported in Western Europe, including Germany and the Netherlands, where it is spreading rapidly.
What are the symptoms of XEC?
The new coronavirus subvariant causes symptoms similar to those of common illnesses, such as flu and colds.
Most patients will recover in a few weeks, but some will take longer and some may need to be hospitalized.
The common symptoms of XEC include fever, persistent cough, loss of smell and taste, shortness of breath, and feelings of fatigue or exhaustion.
Additionally, it includes symptoms that usually point to a cold, such as headache, sore throat, nasal congestion or runny nose, as well as loss of appetite, diarrhea, and malaise.
Recommendations from experts
Although XEC is spreading, it has not yet been recorded separately in the U.S. due to limited cases. It is expected to be included among the subvariants of the coronavirus that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is monitoring when it exceeds 1% of total cases.
Since this subvariant belongs to a sub-family of the same line of Omicron, experts say that ongoing vaccination and booster doses of coronavirus vaccines should provide sufficient protection against severe illness or the need for hospitalization.
The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommend regular handwashing and adequate ventilation in the spaces we frequent.