As influenza season approaches, new variants of the new coronavirus infection also increase.
A newly discovered coronavirus strain known as XEC continues to spread rapidly across multiple countries, including the United States.
Scripps Research's Outbreak.info page (last updated September 5) reports 95 cases of XEC in 12 US states and 15 countries.
But Australian-based data integration expert Mike Honey said on Saturday that the new strain, which emerged in Berlin last June, has infected hundreds more patients in 27 countries across Europe, North America and Asia. I wrote that it is appearing.
Omicron variant KP.3.1.1, also known as deFLuQE, accounted for more than half (52.7%) of COVID-19 cases from September 1 to September 14. However, variants known as XEC and MV.1 appear to account for more than half (52.7%) of new coronavirus cases going forward. The next dominant strain, according to scientists, is
Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Institute's Translational Institute, wrote about X: “At this point, variants of XEC seem the most likely to become widespread next.”
What are XEC variants?
Honey said the XEC COVID-19 strain first appeared in Berlin in late June and has spread to Europe, North America and Asia, with a total of about 550 samples.
This variant has been recorded in 27 countries including China, Ukraine, Norway and Poland.
What is variant MV? 1?
First recorded in the Indian state of Maharashtra in late June, the new coronavirus variant MV.1 has been recorded in nine countries, including the United States, Honey reported.
It spans four continents, including Portugal, Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands. In the United States, they are primarily found in the Northeast, Honey said.
How many cases of the XEC variant have been detected in the United States?
According to Scripps Research's Outbreak.info page, last updated on September 5, at least 95 sequences of the XEC lineage have been identified between June 28 and August 20, including This includes 25 from the United States.
Symptoms of new coronavirus infection (XEC)
The CDC has not confirmed whether the XEC variant has specific symptoms. USA TODAY has reached out to CDC officials for comment.
The agency continues to outline the basic symptoms of coronavirus infection, which can appear within two to 14 days after exposure to the virus and range from mild to severe.
Below are some of the symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea
The CDC says you should seek medical attention if you have the following symptoms:
Difficulty breathing Persistent pain or pressure in the chest New confusion or inability to get up or stay awake Pale, gray, or blue skin, lips, or nail beds
How can I protect myself from XEC and other variants?
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older, with some exceptions, be protected from the virus, regardless of whether they have been previously vaccinated or have been infected. We recommend that you receive the latest 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
Contributor: Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY
