United States: While ‘flu season’ approaches, so does new COVID-19 variants. A new covid variant known as XEC is also has been discovered to be widespread in different countries, including the United States.
More about the news
Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info page, which was published on September 5, described 95 XEC cases in 12 American states and 15 countries worldwide.
However, Australia-based data integration specialist Mike Honey noted this X Saturday that the new strain, which appeared in Berlin last June, has been discovered in hundreds of patients in 27 countries across Europe, North America, and Asia, USA Today reported.
About rising Covid variants
Omicron variant KP.3.1.1, also called deFLuQE, accounted for more than half of its tally BTW September 1 to September 14, 2021, at 52.7 percent.
However, XEC and a variant known as MV.1 appear to be the next reigning varieties, according to scientists.
According to Scripps Research Translational Institute Director Eric Topol, posted on X, “At this juncture, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely one to get legs next,” USA Today reported.
Know more about the XEC variant
The first time observed in late June in Berlin, the XEC COVID-19 strain has been detected in Europe, North America, and Asia with approximately 550 samples, said Honey.
It has been reported to have infected 27 countries, including China, Ukraine, Norway, and Poland, among others.
At least 95 sequences in the XEC lineage have been detected between June 28 and August 20, of which 25 were detected in the United States, as stated by Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info page last updated on September 5.
About variant MV.1
First identified in Maharastra, India, in Late June, COVID-19 variant MV.1 has been observed in nine countries, including the US, according to Honey.
It has been grown in four continents of the world in such countries as Portugal, Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Honey noted that in the US, it has only been seen in the northeastern region of the country.
XEC variant symptoms
There is no information from the CDC concerning the possibility of having distinct symptoms associated with the XEC variant.
However, the CDC explains some common symptoms, which might appear between two to 14 days after exposure to the virus. These are some of the symptoms of COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
The CDC said you should seek medical attention if you have the following symptoms:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion
- Inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale or blue-colored skin, lips, or nails