A new strain of Covid-19 known as the XEC variant is spreading worldwide, with researchers noting that it appears to transmit faster than previous mutations of the disease.
Anecdotal reports suggest a surge in people experiencing symptoms similar to Covid-like illnesses with some testing positive after deciding to take a test.
Since the end of widespread testing drives and the introduction of costs for lateral flow kits, testing rates have plummeted, the M.E.N reports. The lack of a large-scale, compulsory reporting system for test results also makes it challenging for public health officials to accurately track the number of cases and the speed at which new strains are spreading.
As the winter flu season approaches and children return to school, many people report experiencing suspicious symptoms and testing positive for coronavirus. 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 per cent of cases in Germany. Over 80 cases have been reported in the UK.
Here’s all we know so far about the new variant..
What is the Covid XEC variant?
XEC, a hybrid variant crafted by scientists, arises when dual existing strains merge – often if an individual contracts both simultaneously.
Formed from the KP.3.3 and KS. 1.1 strains, XEC has inherited connections to omicron, the variant first identified in South Africa in 2021, which is known for its heightened spread ability and milder severity relative to earlier SARS-CoV-2 strains.
Speaking to The Conversation, Richard Orton, a Bioinformatics Research Associate at the University of Glasgow, expressed concerns regarding XEC’s swift spread. He stated: “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.”
Providing some insight into the expected impact of XEC on individuals, he added: “This new variant will probably be similar to other Covid 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 it’s like to have new Covid strain with ‘distinctive’ cough
Delving into the personal experiences of those affected, the Manchester Evening News spoke with numerous individuals who’ve fallen ill with COVID-19 lately.
Hannah, 39, from Levenshulme said: “I tested positive in July, I think around the fourth or fifth time I’ve tested positive for Covid, 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 Covid? ‘ But I think you could tell from the distinctive cough and feeling in your chest. I just knew it was Covid and put off testing for a few days, but then I did and it was positive, and I wasn’t entirely surprised.”
Hannah shared her experience with recurring 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.”
Reflecting on how the symptoms compared to her previous encounter with the virus, she explained: “This time, I found the symptoms were most mild. When I had Covid 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.”
On the subject of testing and managing the illness, she mentioned the practicalities involved. She admitted: “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 Covid not just a cold.”
Comparing the duration of the sickness across her two experiences with Covid, she added: “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.”
Meanwhile another 28-year-old woman from Manchester told the publication she suspected she had contracted Covid-19 in late August after attending a music festival in London.
She described experiencing severe cold-like symptoms for about three days, stating: “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.
“I didn’t have any Covid 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 Covid 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, from Prestwich discovered he was positive after he decided to get tested due to a friend he’d recently spent time with testing positive for Covid.
He said: “This was the third occasion that I’ve had Covid – as far as I know at least,” he shared. “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.
“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.
“The symptoms were the least severe of any time I had Covid. 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.”
Main XEC Covid variant symptoms
The main symptoms of the XEC Covid variant, along with other variants, are akin to those of common colds and flu. Most individuals recover within a few weeks, but some take longer, and there’s a risk of more serious illness leading to hospitalisation, according to the NHS.
Experts say that while some Covid strains have been more severe, it’s too early to determine the severity of the XEC variant. More time is needed for health professionals to assess the impact of this strain’s symptoms.
Hospitalisations due to Covid in the UK are expected to increase as the colder months approach. The NHS is gearing up for its autumn booster campaign in response to a new Covid variant that’s making its way through Europe.
The upcoming round of Covid boosters will be on offer from October 3 to December 20, with the XEC variant anticipated to become the predominant strain. Bookings for vaccinations are now open.
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 Covid variants in the UK and internationally, and to publish our data regularly.
“Vaccination provides the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19, and we urge those who are contacted by the NHS to come forward to receive their autumn vaccine.”
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