New Covid variant XEC: 5 latest developments to know about this contagious virus

There has been a surge of Covid XEC, the new coronavirus variant in almost 27 countries now. Here are key developments to be aware about.

It is almost few months now that new variant of Covid starts to emerge and spread. This time a more contagious variant ‘XEC’ has emerged and is spreading like wildfire across Europe. This was first reported in Germany and since then has spread in almost 27 countries. According to scientists, this Covid XEC forms another sublienage of the omicron variant. Here are some latest ket developments to note.

5 Key latest developments about new Covid XEC variant

1. XEC is a hybrid variant of omicron subvariants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
2. Nearly 500 samples from  27 countries have been found to have XEC Covid. A steady surge has been observed in Denmark, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark so far.
3. Experts have deemed it ot be a ‘more contagious’ form of Covid that may become a dominant strain in Europe.
4. Covid XEC symptoms are – rash, loss of appetite, sore throat, loss of sense of smell, body ache, fever etc.
5. Experts belief that the vaccines should still hold protection against severe illness and booster remains a crucial defence.

“At this juncture, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely one to get legs next,” Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, US, said in a recent post on X.

While it has said to a “transmission advantage”, experts are rooting for the vaccines. It is advised to complete individuals’ vaccine and booster dosage. While most people will get better within a few weeks, for some it may take longer to recover and some may even require hospitalisation.

The health authorities request the citizens to maintain basic Covid protocol. Practise proper hand hygiene and maintain personal hygiene. Wear mask at crowded places. It is important to look out of symptoms and get immediate treatment. Keep the surroundings clean.

Experts are still waiting for more data on the mutation, spike protein and other aspects.