First detected in Germany in June, XEC is a combination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants. According to reports, it has already overtaken the dominant FliRT strain of the deadly virus.
The strain, related to the Omicron variant, is currently spreading "rapidly" across Europe, North America and Asia.
About 550 samples have been reported so far from 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Portugal, the US and China.
"At this juncture, the EXEC variant appears to be the most likely candidate going forward," Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, US, said in a recent post on X.
According to experts, EXEC comes with some new mutations that could help it spread this autumn. However, vaccines can help prevent severe cases.
In a post on
Haney said XEC has already charged ahead of other variants such as the FLiRT, FluQU and DEFLuQE strains.
This strain reportedly causes symptoms that are similar to those experienced in common illnesses such as influenza and colds.
While most people will recover within a few weeks, some may take longer to recover and some may even require hospitalization.
According to the UK NHS, the variant causes flu-like symptoms including high temperature or shivering (chills), new, persistent cough, loss or change in sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches. , loss of appetite, among others.
The strain, related to the Omicron variant, is currently spreading "rapidly" across Europe, North America and Asia.
About 550 samples have been reported so far from 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Portugal, the US and China.
"At this juncture, the EXEC variant appears to be the most likely candidate going forward," Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, US, said in a recent post on X.
According to experts, EXEC comes with some new mutations that could help it spread this autumn. However, vaccines can help prevent severe cases.
In a post on
Haney said XEC has already charged ahead of other variants such as the FLiRT, FluQU and DEFLuQE strains.
This strain reportedly causes symptoms that are similar to those experienced in common illnesses such as influenza and colds.
While most people will recover within a few weeks, some may take longer to recover and some may even require hospitalization.
According to the UK NHS, the variant causes flu-like symptoms including high temperature or shivering (chills), new, persistent cough, loss or change in sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches. , loss of appetite, among others.
