New XEC Covid variant spreading in US and Europe, doctors warn

Researchers have cautioned that a new strain of Covid, referred to as XEC, is proliferating throughout Europe and the United States.

There have been reports of individuals contracting the new variant in the UK, as well as in other European countries like Denmark and Germany.

Currently, physicians in the United States are also noting a few instances of this issue and are forecasting that it seems likely to expand.

Experts have indicated that it will be the "upcoming hurdle" for physicians, nurses, and healthcare organizations.

"At this point, the XEC variant seems to be the most probable candidate to gain traction next," Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California, stated in a post on X, previously known as Twitter.

He mentioned that it could take several weeks or even a couple of months for it to really establish itself and begin to create significant effects.

Experts think that the new variant probably isn’t as deadly as some of the earlier mutations that posed difficulties for healthcare workers. They also believe it should respond well to the vaccines that are already out there.

The signs are quite alike to those seen in other Covid variants, including fatigue, headaches, a sore throat, and fever.

Earlier this summer, the United States faced its largest increase in Covid cases since 2022. This period, referred to as the “Summer of Covid,” was thought to have been partly sparked by events like the Olympic Games in Paris.

Over 80 countries experienced an increase in cases, with the most prevalent strain of the virus identified as KP.3.1.1.

According to Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University, "We've noticed a rise in cases every summer since Covid emerged. However, what's unique about this summer's cases compared to previous years is that they aren't leading to overwhelmed hospitals."

In August, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) greenlit new vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna and encouraged everyone to receive their vaccinations.

"We highly recommend that those who qualify think about getting the new Covid vaccine to enhance their protection against the variants that are currently spreading," stated Dr. Peter Marks, the head of vaccines at the FDA.

Currently, medical professionals are getting ready for the emerging XEC variant.

Dr. Andrea Garcia, a vice president at the American Medical Association (AMA), recently mentioned to health industry professionals that while Covid-related deaths have declined compared to earlier years, there was a rise in cases at the end of August.

She mentioned, "Another important aspect to monitor, which doctors and scientists are also observing, is a new subvariant called XEC that may potentially exceed KP.3.1.1 in the next few weeks."

She mentioned, “It was initially identified in Germany. Although it's been found in the United States, the number of cases is low, and currently, there's limited information available about this new subvariant.”