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    • COVID XEC variant already emerging in 27 countries, expert says
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    COVID XEC variant already emerging in 27 countries, expert says

    Vaseline Posted on

    As flu season approaches, new COVID-19 variants are emerging.

    A newly discovered COVID strain known as XEC continues to spread rapidly in multiple countries, including the US

    Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info page, last updated on September 5, reported 95 XEC cases in 12 U.S. states and 15 different countries.

    Mike Honey, a data integration specialist from Australia, wrote on X on Saturday that the new strain, which emerged in Berlin last June, has been found in hundreds of other patients in 27 countries in Europe, North America and Asia.

    Omicron variant KP.3.1.1, also known as deFLuQE, made up more than half (52.7%) of COVID-19 cases between Sept. 1 and Sept. 14. However, XEC and a variant known as MV.1 appear to be the next dominant strains, scientists say.

    “At this point, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely variant to come next,” Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, wrote about X.

    What is the XEC variant?

    According to Honey, the XEC COVID-19 strain first emerged in Berlin in late June and has since spread across Europe, North America and Asia. In total, around 550 samples have been detected.

    The variant has been identified in 27 countries, including China, Ukraine, Norway and Poland.

    What is variant MV.1?

    COVID-19 variant MV.1 was first identified in Maharashtra, India, in late June and has now been identified in nine countries, including the US, Honey reported.

    It is spread across four continents in countries such as Portugal, Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands. In the US, it has been seen mainly in the Northeast, Honey said.

    How many cases of the XEC variant have been identified in the US?

    According to Scripps Research’s Outbreak.info page, which was last updated on Sept. 5, at least 95 sequences in the XEC lineage have been identified between June 28 and Aug. 20, including 25 in the U.S.

    COVID XEC Symptoms

    The CDC has not confirmed whether there are any unique symptoms of the XEC variant. USA TODAY has reached out to CDC officials for comment.

    The agency continues to describe the basic symptoms of COVID-19, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus and can range from mild to severe.

    These are some 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
    • A sore throat
    • Stuffy or runny nose
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea

    According to the CDC, you should seek medical attention if you have the following symptoms:

    • Problems with breathing
    • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
    • New confusion
    • Inability to wake up or stay awake
    • Pale, gray, or bluish skin, lips, or nail beds

    How can we protect ourselves from XEC and other variants?

    The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older, with some exceptions, get an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the virus, regardless of whether you have been previously vaccinated or infected.

    Contributor: Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY

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