XEC, the new variant of Covid that threatens Spain this winter
This coronavirus strain has swept through several countries, including the UK, US, Ireland, France and Spain
As Spain races towards the cooler winter months, when respiratory infections traditionally soar, a new Covid variant has emerged and is spreading rapidly across Europe. Experts are concerned that the XEC coronavirus variant, a combination of the Omicron family of substrains, could become dominant in Spain during the winter months.
First detected as recently as June 2024 in Germany, the variant has now reached dozens of countries including the UK, Ireland, France, Spain and the US.
More than 1,000 cases have been reported so far in at least 29 countries and 24 of the 50 US states, according to the experts. The rise in respiratory infections globally coincides with the spread of this variant, which appears to be transmitting faster than previous strains in parts of Europe, said Dr Scott Roberts, an infectious disease specialist at Yale Medicine.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet classified XEC as a ‘variant of concern’ but rather as a coronavirus strain that is ‘under surveillance’.
XEC is a hybrid variant, meaning it is the result of the fusion of two pre-existing subvariants: KP.3.3 and KS.1.1. This process can occur when a person is infected with two different strains of the virus, allowing them to exchange genetic material and generate a new variant, explains the Yale Medicine doctor.
The good news is that although this new strain seems to spread very easily, so far the symptoms appear to be somewhat diluted, so illnesses are generally mild enough.
However, there is always a risk of complications in elderly people or those with weakened immune systems.
Symptoms
Symptoms caused by XEC are similar to those of other recent coronavirus variants. According to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patients typically experience fever, persistent cough, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, body aches, diarrhoea and nausea.
It can also feel like a cold, with headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, loss of appetite and extreme fatigue. Symptoms may start out mild and most people get better within a few weeks, but in some cases they can get worse as the illness progresses.
"We will keep our ears and eyes open to see if there might be any clinically distinguishing features," the expert said. "We doubt it, but we are always open to it."
Are vaccines effective against this strain?
The second piece of good news is that the current vaccines should still offer good protection. The updated versions combat the Omicron subvariants, and since XEC is part of the family, the shots should be effective against this strain as well. So, despite the rapid spread, experts stress that there is no reason to be alarmed.
The CDC recommends that everyone over the age of six months receive an updated Covid-19 booster shot if they haven't already this year, as they are designed to combat the Omicron subvariants. For now, experts are confident that with preventive measures and new doses, the spread of the virus can be controlled.
In other news: Britain and Spain join forces and explore a 4-day work week
Image: Freepik
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