ew Covid XEC variant cases are on the rise (Image: Getty)
A new Covid-19 variant is sweeping across the globe, with researchers warning it appears to spread faster than previous strains.
Anecdotal reports suggest a surge in people falling ill with symptoms similar to , with some testing positive after deciding to take a test.
The decline in testing following the end of mass testing drives and the cost associated with lateral flow kits has made it difficult for health officials to track the exact number of cases and the speed at which new variants are spreading.
As winter sets in and children return to school, many are reporting suspicious symptoms and testing positive for the virus. This increase coincides with the detection of the new XEC variant in 27 countries across Europe, Asia and North America.
Despite only being discovered three weeks ago, the XEC variant now accounts for 13% of cases in Germany. Over 80 cases have been reported in the UK, reports .
What is the Covid XEC variant?
XEC, a recombinant variant identified by researchers, is formed when two existing strains combine. This can occur if an individual contracts both strains at the same time.
XEC originates from the KP. 3.3 and KS.
1.1 strains, with genetic ties to omicron – a variant first detected in South Africa in 2021 known for its high transmission rates and less severe symptoms compared to earlier SARS-CoV-2 strains.
Richard Orton, a Bioinformatics Research Associate at the University of Glasgow, expressed his concerns about the rapid spread of XEC to The Conversation media outlet: “XEC appears to have a growth advantage and is spreading faster than other circulating variants, suggesting it will become the dominant variant globally in the next few months.”
He further commented: “This new variant will probably be similar to other variants in terms of the disease caused, given its similar genetic information. So symptoms such as a high temperature, sore throat with a cough, headaches and body aches along with tiredness are to be expected.”
What are people with XEC saying?
The Manchester Evening News has interviewed several individuals who have recently tested positive for -19. One of them, Hannah from Levenshulme, shared her experience: “I tested positive in July, I think around the fourth or fifth time I’ve tested positive for , I’ve had it a lot,”.
“I was surprised because I last had it in mid-December and then tested positive again at the beginning of July. I didn’t expect to get it again so soon.”
“Now when you get a cold, you think ‘is this ? ‘ But I think you could tell from the distinctive cough and feeling in your chest. I just knew it was and put off testing for a few days, but then I did and it was positive, and I wasn’t entirely surprised.”
Hannah recounted her initial symptoms: “I started feeling quite tired and like I was getting ill, but I couldn’t tell if it was just the result of a few late nights. I just felt really, really tired and didn’t have an appetite. Two days later I started with a cough.”
Discussing her experience with the illness’s latest bout, the 39 year old said: “This time, I found the symptoms were most mild,” adding “When I had in December I was in bed for a couple of days. This time, I was up and about. I felt a bit rough but it didn’t completely knock me out like it has in the past.”
She also noted changes in her testing routine due to costs, saying: “I didn’t test every day because you have to pay for the tests and I didn’t have that many. It didn’t last as long and it wasn’t as severe, but you could definitely tell it was not just a cold.”
Reflecting on the recovery process, she compared it to previous experiences: “When I had it in December though, it took 10 or 11 days to test negative. Whereas this was maybe around five or six.”
“It was the mildest strain that I’ve had, I still felt quite rough but when I had it the last time I had to take a couple of days off work because I felt I couldn’t concentrate, I felt awful, it hurt to look at a screen. This time, I didn’t take any time off.”
A 28 year old woman from Manchester revealed to M. E.
N. that she suspected she contracted -19 in late August after attending a music festival in London.
She experienced severe cold-like symptoms for about three days.
“A few days in, a wave of tiredness took over for around a day, and all I could do was nap on my sofa. That felt very similar to when I’d been ill during the omicron wave in summer of 2022,” she shared.
“I didn’t have any tests in the house and felt too ill to go outside. I knew that I wanted to stay at home and not pass whatever illness I had to anyone else, so thought it didn’t make much difference if I confirmed whether it was or not, seeing as I’d be isolating anyway.”
“And I’d have to go to a busy shop, which would only put those people inside at risk. But it took around another few days for the symptoms, particularly the exhaustion, to pass.”
Ste, hailing from Prestwich, decided to get tested after discovering a friend he’d spent time with had just tested positive for .
Recounting his battle with for the third time, a man shared: “This was the third occasion that I’ve had – as far as I know at least,” and added, “I probably wouldn’t have realised I had it this time if it wasn’t for a friend who had tested positive, because they still need to test for their job.”
He noticed minor symptoms, saying, “I had noticed a bit of a sore throat which didn’t last long, but the main issue was a runny nose and frequently sneezing. It felt very similar to hay-fever.”
Reflecting on the severity, he observed, “The symptoms were the least severe of any time I had . I thought I may have caught a bit of a chill after a boozy and unseasonably cool August bank holiday at Manchester Pride, and hadn’t thought much else of it. It was nothing at all like the first time I had it in November 2020, before the jab, when I lost my sense of taste and felt shattered for a time even after I’d shifted the virus.”
Health experts are closely monitoring the XEC variant, with the NHS outlining that the main symptoms mirror those of common colds and flu. Recovery times can vary, and while many recover within weeks, some cases may lead to more serious conditions requiring hospital care.
Scientists caution that it’s too early to determine the severity of the XEC strain compared to other variants, stating that further observation is needed over the coming weeks or months to assess the impact of the symptoms associated with this particular variant.
As the UK braces for a potential uptick in hospitalisations due to the chillier weather, the NHS is gearing up for its autumn booster campaign amidst concerns over the spread of a new variant across Europe. The XEC variant looms as the possible next dominant strain, prompting health officials to open a window from October 3 to December 20 for the public to receive their latest boosters.
Appointments are now up for grabs.
Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, Deputy Director at the UK Health Security Agency, commented: “It is normal and expected for viruses to genetically change over time. UKHSA continues to monitor all available information relating to emerging variants in the UK and internationally, and to publish our data regularly. Vaccination provides the best protection against serious illness from -19, and we urge those who are contacted by the NHS to come forward to receive their autumn vaccine.”