Experts say the newly discovered COVID-19 strain, XEC, may have less severe side effects but is one of the more contagious variants.
of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) XEC is defined as a recombinant or hybrid strain of the Omicron family strains KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, which became the predominant strain in the United States in late December 2022.
The variant first emerged in Berlin in late June and has now reported hundreds of cases. Germany, France, Denmark, NetherlandsAccording to a report by Australia-based data integration expert Mike Honey.
Joella W. Adams, an epidemiologist at RTI International, said XEC has also been reported in at least 25 states in the United States, but the number could be higher because not all positive tests involve genetic testing.
“What’s happening in Europe is often used as a good indicator of what’s going to happen here,” Adams told USA Today on Friday. “Obviously, when you get into a season where you have multiple viruses circulating at the same time, like flu season, that complicates things.”
What is the XEC variant?
The new COVID strain, XEC, is a recombinant strain of two variants of the Omicron family, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
The hybrid strain was first reported in Berlin in late June but has since spread across Europe, North America and Asia, with cases rising sharply in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Denmark.
Are the XEC variants more contagious?
There is no indication that the XEC strain increases the severity of the virus, but because the Omicron strain is more contagious, it is possible that the XEC strain may become the predominant strain. However, currently available COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots are particularly effective against XEC, which is a hybrid of two Omicron strains.
“These strains have the advantage of being more transmissible than other lineages and although the vaccines currently on offer are not based on the XEC variant, they are relevant,” Adams said.
Like other respiratory infections, COVID-19 and its recent Omicron variant will likely spread more and more during the fall and winter as students return to class, children spend more time indoors and people visit relatives for the holidays, Adams said.
How can you protect yourself from XEC and other variants?
The CDC continues to monitor the emergence of variants in the population, according to spokesperson Rosa Norman.
“At this time, we expect that COVID-19 treatments and vaccines will continue to be effective against all circulating variants,” Norman said in a statement to USA Today. “CDC will continue to monitor the effectiveness of treatments and vaccines against circulating variants.”
The CDC: everyone With some exceptions, all infants and children aged 6 months and older should receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the virus, regardless of whether they have been previously vaccinated or infected.
Norman told the American people that the agency COVID Data Tracker Due to updates to new variants.
KP.3.1.1:This dominant COVID-19 variant accounts for more than 50% of cases, new CDC data shows
What is the predominant COVID strain in the US?
The COVID-19 variant KP.3.1.1 is currently the dominant strain, accounting for more than half of all positive cases in the United States. CDC predictions.
The KP.3.1.1 strain made up 52.7% of positive cases from Sept. 1 to Sept. 14, followed by KP.2.3 at 12.2%, the agency reported. Nowcast Data Trackerprovides two-weekly COVID-19 estimates and forecasts.
KP.3.1.1 first became the dominant strain in the two-week period between July 21st and August 3rd.
“The KP.3.1.1 variant is very similar to other variants circulating in the United States, with all current lineages descending from JN.1, which emerged in late 2023,” Norman previously told USA Today.
Symptoms of COVID XEC
There are no indications that the XEC variant comes with any unique symptoms.
The CDC continues to outline basic symptoms of COVID-19, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus and can range from mild to severe.
Some of the symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Fever or chills
- cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle and body pain
- headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- sore throat
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
The CDC says people should see a doctor if they have any of the following symptoms:
- Difficulty breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake up or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue skin, lips, or nail beds
Contributor: Ajane Forbes
