As flu season approaches, new COVID-19 variants are emerging.
A newly discovered COVID strain known as XEC is spreading rapidly in several countries, including the US
On Scripps Research's Outbreak.info page, last updated on September 5, 95 XEC cases were reported in 12 US states and 15 different countries.
However, Australia-based data integration expert Mike Honey wrote on Saturday that the new strain, which emerged in Berlin last June, has shown up in hundreds more patients in 27 countries across Europe, North America and Asia.
The Omicron variant KP.3.1.1, also known as deFLuQE, contributed to more than half (52.7%) of the COVID-19 cases between September 1 and September 14. However, scientists say variants known as XEC and MV.1 are set to become the next major strain.
“At this time, the XEC variant seems most likely to be the next to emerge,” Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote on X.
What is the XEC version?
According to Haney, the XEC COVID-19 strain first appeared in Berlin in late June, and has now spread across Europe, North America and Asia, with around 550 samples tested.
This variant has been found in 27 countries including China, Ukraine, Norway and Poland.
What is variant MV. 1?
Haney said the COVID-19 variant MV.1, which was first detected in Maharashtra, India in late June, has been found in nine countries, including the US.
It has spread to countries on four continents, including Portugal, Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands. In the U.S., it has been seen primarily in the Northeast, according to Haney.
How many cases of the XEC variant have been detected in the US?
According to Scripps Research's outbreak.info page (last updated on September 5), at least 95 sequences of the XEC lineage have been identified between June 28 and August 20, 25 of which are in the United States.
COVID-19 Symptoms
The CDC has not confirmed whether the XEC variant has any specific symptoms. USA TODAY has reached out to CDC officials for comment.
The agency continues to outline the basic symptoms of COVID-19, which can appear between two and 14 days after exposure to the virus and range from mild to severe.
Here are some of the symptoms of COVID-19:
- fever or chills
- cough
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Tiredness
- muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- sore throat
- Nasal congestion or runny nose
- nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
The CDC says you should seek medical help if you have the following symptoms:
- Difficulty in breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New illusion
- inability to wake up or stay awake
- pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nails
How can we protect ourselves from XEC and other variants?
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older, with some exceptions, should get the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the virus, regardless of whether or not you have been previously vaccinated or infected.
Contributor: Ahjane Forbes, USA TODAY