New XEC COVID Variant Spreads Rapidly Across Europe and the World: All You Need to Know About Its Contagiousness

The term "variant" used to be mainly associated with mathematics, but in 2020, it became widely known due to COVID-19. As the virus kept mutating, numerous variants emerged, affecting thousands of people worldwide.

Years after the initial COVID outbreak, a new variant called XEC has appeared, raising concerns that it could lead to a surge in cases over the coming months in Europe and the United States.The XEC COVID-19 variant is a sub-lineage of the Omicron variant and is a hybrid of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants. According to Forbes, it's essentially a combination of these two existing variants.

The KS.1.1 variant is known as a FLiRT type, which led to a global rise in COVID cases. On the other hand, the KP.3.3 variant is a FLuQE type, where the amino acid glutamine is replaced by glutamic acid, enhancing its ability to bind to human cells.

The XEC variant was first identified in Berlin, Germany, in June. Since then, it has spread to the United Kingdom, the US, Denmark, and other countries. In August, it was responsible for 10 percent of COVID cases in Slovenia, according to reports.

So far, over 500 samples from 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Portugal, and China, have tested positive for the XEC variant. According to Scripps Research’s “Outbreak.info” page, the XEC variant had been found in 15 countries and 12 US states as of September 3.

Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, mentioned on X that the XEC variant is currently the most likely to spread widely. He also noted that it might take several weeks or even a couple of months before it significantly takes hold and potentially causes a new surge in cases.

COVID data analyst Mike Honey observed that the XEC variant is rapidly becoming the dominant strain. He noted that XEC cases are rising strongly in Denmark and Germany, accounting for 17% of infections, and in the UK and Netherlands, where it makes up 11-13% of cases.

Although the XEC variant isn't the dominant strain right now, experts believe it has the potential to become one. It appears to be spreading more rapidly than other variants, though the exact reason is unclear. Its hybrid nature, combining elements of KP.3.1.1, might contribute to this faster spread. The KP.3.1.1 variant previously caused a significant COVID surge in 80 countries, earning it the nickname 'Summer of COVID.'

Mark Cameron, PhD, from Case Western Reserve University, noted to *Women’s Health* that the XEC variant could have similar potential to drive new COVID infections as JN.1 did last fall and winter. He emphasized the need for more information about XEC and future variants. Additionally, Professor Francois Balloux from University College London told the BBC that XEC appears more contagious and may gain a transmission advantage, potentially becoming the dominant variant this winter.

People infected with the XEC variant will show symptoms similar to those of the Omicron variant. According to the CDC, these symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. The NHS in the UK has reported the same set of symptoms for the XEC variant.

Experts recommend vaccination as the best way to protect against the XEC variant. New vaccines are expected to be effective against XEC, as they target KP.2, a precursor to KP.3.1.1. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson from Kaiser Permanente noted that these vaccines offer good protection because XEC and its predecessors are closely related to the original Omicron. The CDC also advises maintaining good hygiene practices to prevent infection.

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