The newly identified COVID-19 variant XEC has raised alarms globally as it spreads rapidly across 27 countries, including France and the United States, with over 600 confirmed cases.
First detected in Germany in June, XEC has since appeared in countries like the UK and Denmark, prompting increased vigilance among health authorities.
XEC is a recombinant variant, originating from two hybrids of omicron sub-variants: KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
It has shown to be more transmissible than earlier strains of COVID-19, although current data suggest that the severity of cases remains lower compared to the peaks of previous waves.
Vaccines continue to play a crucial role in preventing severe cases of XEC, despite its spread.
Symptoms associated with the variant mirror those of other COVID-19 strains, including sore throat, fever, and fatigue.
Notably, the United States has reported the highest number of XEC infections (118), followed by Germany (92), the UK (82), Canada (77), and Denmark (61).
As of now, no cases have been reported in African countries, although experts predict that XEC may soon become globally dominant.
The transmission of XEC primarily occurs through respiratory droplets, and the variant can linger on surfaces, prompting health officials to recommend preventive measures such as social distancing, wearing masks, and frequent hand sanitization to reduce the risk of infection.
Monitoring of XEC cases is conducted through the Gisaid public database, which tracks mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
This variant exhibits a higher growth advantage due to specific mutations in its spike protein, though the full implications of these changes are still being studied.
Background information indicates that COVID-19 was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. In Nigeria, there have been at least 267,000 recorded COVID-19 cases, with a fatality rate of 1.2%.
Health experts revealed the importance of adhering to preventive measures, as symptoms of XEC can appear within two to 14 days after exposure, typically presenting as mild, though more severe outcomes are possible for high-risk individuals.
