Covid XEC: Everything you need to know about the new ‘more contagious’ variant and symptoms to look out for

A new, ‘stronger’ Covid variant is spreading across Europe and the world. Experts warn the virus has ‘only just begun’.

The XEC strain was first detected in Germany in June and has now been identified in 15 countries across three continents.

According to experts, this variant could become the dominant variant within a few months as the weather gets colder.

Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, said XEC is “just now getting going, globally and here.”

Speaking to the LA Timeshe added: ‘And that’s going to take weeks, a couple of months before it really takes hold and creates a wave.

The XEC strain could become dominant within weeks or months as the weather gets colder

‘XEC is definitely taking the lead. That seems to be the next variant.

“But it will take months before we reach a high level.”

Health experts will continue to closely monitor the variant in the coming weeks, according to Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

According to Dr. Hudson, XEC has been reported in Western Europe, including Germany and the Netherlands, and is spreading rapidly.

XEC has emerged in the US, but its prevalence has been low so far.

This strain, a combination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants, causes symptoms similar to those you experience with common illnesses such as the flu and the common cold.

Most people recover within a few weeks, but others may take longer to recover, and some may even need to be hospitalized.

Common symptoms include high fever, persistent cough, loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, and fatigue or exhaustion.

The usual cold symptoms such as headache, sore throat, stuffy or runny nose are also common, as are loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting.

Common symptoms include high temperature, persistent cough, and loss of sense of smell and taste. (Stock photo)

The XEC strain comes after health experts warned about the FLiRT variant plaguing the UK

The arrival of XEC follows warnings about the FLiRT variant that swept through the UK this spring and summer.

FLiRT was used to describe a family of variants, KP.2, KP.3, JN.1.7, JN.1.1, and KP.1.1, all of which were descendants of the JN.1 variant.

Latest figures from the UK show Covid cases have increased by 4.3 percent week-on-week.

In England too, 102 deaths from Covid have been reported up to and including August 30.

During the same period, hospitals registered 1,465 Covid admissions.

But the UK health service has not yet provided detailed data on the XEC variant.