What we know about XEC, the new coronavirus variant that could be dominant in Europe: here are its symptoms

In mid-autumn, when the temperature has already dropped and coats are on the hanger, the season of seasonal viruses begins. Time when, along with the flu, we must include another well-known virus in the same bag: corona virus.

New option this season SARS-CoV-2 It threatens to become dominant on the continent, although for now its presence in Spain is indicative. This is an option HECthe latest subvariant of the already known Omicron, first discovered in mid-May 2024.

According to health authorities, XEC can be – like the strains that have become dominant at the time – highly contagious. According to the latest report from the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), published on October 4, is currently classified as a variant under control (VUM).

“Although there is currently no direct evidence of increased transmissibility of this lineage and no laboratory data assessing its immune evasion compared to currently circulating variants, the proportion of XEC detections is showing an increasing trend in Germany and the Netherlands,”

indicates a European organization.

Symptoms

What is certain is that XEC emerged from the merger of two other existing sub-variants: KP.3.3 (FluQE) and KS.1.1. (Flirt). So the symptoms of this recent variant are similar to those we already know:

• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• Loss of smell, taste, or both.
• Fatigue
• Fever and chills
• body pain
• Diarrhea

As in previous autumn seasons, It is advisable to get vaccinated to avoid infection and severity of disease, especially in the most vulnerable patients.