Fall began on Sunday, and with the change of seasons comes a new variant of the coronavirus that began circulating in Europe over the summer that has entered the United States.
The new substrain, called XEC, is derived from an omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The strain has been detected in at least 15 countries and 12 U.S. states as of Sept. 3, according to Scripps Research's coronavirus database Outbreak.info.
“At this point, it appears that the XEC variant is the most likely next to become widespread,” Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Institute's Translational Institute, posted on X last week. His comments were in response to a post by Australian data analyst Mike Honey, first published in June, that charted the origins of XEC from Berlin.
According to Honey's analysis, XEC growth in recent weeks has been strongest in Denmark and Germany, followed by the UK and the Netherlands. Outbreak.info reported 95 XEC infections around the world, from Canada to Italy to Taiwan, as of September 3, but has not been updated since then. Hany posted on September 14 that data shows the variant strain has spread to more than 500 cases in 27 countries, including China and Ukraine.
At the moment, the XEC variant seems most likely to get legs next. The current status is well tracked as follows: @Mike_Honey_ Thread https://t.co/4AnLa3MXfz
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) September 15, 2024
Although XEC is on the rise, its prevalence in the United States remains relatively low, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Omicron sublineage, called KP.3.1.1 (commonly known as “DeFLuQE”), recently took over, accounting for 53% of infections nationwide from September 1 to 14, according to the CDC's Coronavirus Data Tracker . XEC is not as prevalent as it appears on trackers. It should account for at least 1% of infections over a two-week period, but this situation may not last long.
XEC “could surpass KP.3.1.1 in the coming weeks,” said Andrea Garcia, American Medical Association (AMA) vice president for science, medicine, and public health, on the AMA Update podcast in September. He spoke on the 6th episode. “At this time, there is not much data regarding this new variant.”
According to Topol, XEC is a combination of Omicron sublineages KS.1.1 and KP.3.3.
What are the symptoms of XEC infection?
Although the CDC has not yet identified specific symptoms for XEC infection, be aware of the following typical COVID-19 symptoms:
Nasal congestion or runny nose Cough Diarrhea Fatigue Fever or chills Headache Muscle or body aches New loss of taste or smell Nausea or vomiting Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Sore throat
According to the CDC, these symptoms require emergency treatment.
Inability to wake up or stay awake Lips, skin, or nail beds appear pale, blue, or gray New confusion Persistent pain or pressure in the chest Difficulty breathing
Will the new COVID vaccines prevent XEC?
New 2024-25 coronavirus vaccines made by Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax have arrived sooner than expected and are widely available at pharmacies, health departments, urgent care centers and other health care providers.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are mRNA-based and designated for the Omicron KP.2 strain. The protein-based Novavax vaccine targets its parent strain, JN.1. They are not designed to counter XEC itself, but are manufactured with the recently circulating family of variants in mind.
The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and older receive up-to-date vaccines to protect themselves and their loved ones from severe infection, hospitalization, and death.
“Vaccination remains the cornerstone of COVID-19 prevention,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a news release last month. “Taking into account the population's reduced immunity due to past exposure to the virus and previous vaccinations, we are providing targeted populations with the latest coronavirus updates to provide better protection against currently circulating variants. We strongly recommend that you consider vaccination against infectious diseases.”
Most adults in the U.S. are eligible for free vaccinations through private health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid plans, according to the CDC. The agency's Children's Vaccines Program provides immunizations to children 18 and under. To find a vaccination site near you, visit Vaccines.gov. You can also call 800-232-0233 or text your zip code to 438829.
Where in the United States is the coronavirus spreading?
The country is emerging from the largest summer coronavirus surge ever, according to CDC records. The test positivity rate for the week ending May 11th was 3.1% and rose consistently until peaking at 17.8% for the week ending August 10th. Although this rate has decreased, it is still higher than this time last year, and test positivity rates are expected to continue. For the week ending September 7, it was 14.9%.
We are not out of the woods yet. Over the four-week period from August 11 to September, the national test positivity rate was 17.1%, and no region of the United States had a positivity rate below 10%, as shown in Figure 7. The five states that make up CDC Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas) had the highest test positivity rate at 20.5%.
In addition, the national wastewater virus activity level remained at “high,” the second strictest rating, for the week ending September 7.
For more information about the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19):
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