"Months Off From Getting Into High": New Covid Variant XEC Rapidly Spreading (Photo @Pixabay)

Amid global concerns over a variety of communicable diseases spreading across the world, scientists have warned of a new ‘ more contagious’ variant of COVID-19, known as XEC. The new variant is spreading rapidly across Europe and is feared to be a dominant global health emergency.

A report by the BBC has noted that the XEC was first identified in Germany in June. Then the variant has been reported in the UK, US, Denmark, and several other countries, with experts suggesting it as a sub-lineage of the omicron variant.  The XEC has some new mutations, which can help it spread this autumn, although vaccines should still help prevent serious cases, according to experts,

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The new variant has become dominant in Europe, with over 500 samples from 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Portugal, and China, having been found to contain XEC, with an increased spreading in Denmark, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands.

Professor Francois Balloux, Director of the Genetics Institute at University College London, warned that the new variant could be more dominant over winter. However, though XEC has a “slight transmission advantage” over other recent Covid variants, vaccines should still offer good protection.

Prediction from Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, in California is also alarming, as he pointed out that the new variant is just getting started and in weeks or months, it may cause a wave, adding that XEC is definitely taking charge, and it is months off from getting into high levels.

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Notably, the symptoms of the new variant are similar to the previous Covid variants, including fever, sore throat, cough, loss of sense of smell, loss of appetite, and body aches. The experts have asked to take vaccines and booster shots to avoid severe conditions and hospitalization. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have asked to take precautions, including good hygiene practices.

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