A new COVID-19 variation called XEC is spreading across the United States and Europe, attracting the attention of health officials and academics as they track its progress ahead of the winter season. The variation has previously been identified in at least 25 states, with New Jersey, California, and Virginia having the highest number of cases. Over 100 cases have been confirmed by labs in these states, but the full impact of this new strain is unknown.
XEC is a recombinant strain, which means it was created by combining genetic material from two closely related variations, KS.1.1 and KP.3.3. These parent strains are descended from the JN.1 variety, which played an important role in last year’s winter spike. Experts have become interested in XEC because recombinant strains can vary in transmissibility and resistance to immunization.
Health officials have yet to issue any warnings about the XEC variation, especially when compared to previous strains that prompted worry, such as BA.2.86. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), COVID-19 trends remain somewhat high but have declined since the summer surge of illnesses peaked last month. While XEC is being actively monitored, its appearance has not yet resulted in a significant shift in public health policy.
In the United States, the majority of XEC cases have been identified by routine testing, notably in hospital settings. For example, labs at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute discovered some of the country’s early cases, dating back to July.
However, academics such as Carla Finkelstein, director of the institute’s molecular diagnostics department, have stated that it is still too early to identify obvious trends. “We do not observe any particular trend. Finkelstein stated, “We should keep an eye on the samples coming in and expand our genomic screening.”
Although XEC has been detected in several places, experts are divided on whether it will outperform other versions now in circulation. Some believe that XEC will become the prevalent strain in the United States by winter, while others are skeptical, citing the persistent frequency of the KP.3.1.1 variety, which has remained dominating for several weeks. Mike Honey, an Australian variety tracker, has reported that XEC is gaining popularity in Germany, increasing the strain’s worldwide appeal. It is still unclear whether XEC will outcompete KP.3.1.1, which presently accounts for more than half of COVID-19 cases in the United States.
Despite XEC’s growth, health experts, notably UCSF infectious disease specialist Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, are convinced that the enhanced COVID-19 vaccines will give protection. Chin-Hong underlined that the vaccines were intended to target circulating variations such as XEC.
“This new variant that’s been described in Europe is very similar in general,” Chin-Hong told reporters. He believes that improved immunizations will minimize the risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, especially among vulnerable populations like the elderly and immunocompromised people.
The CDC recommends that Americans get the newest COVID-19 immunizations this autumn and winter. These vaccinations have been upgraded to target the KP.2 strain, which has similarities to XEC. While some scientists advocated for targeting the JN.1 variety, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) eventually chose KP.2 for this season’s vaccines. Despite XEC’s proliferation, the FDA has expressed “high confidence” in the vaccinations’ effectiveness.
The appearance of the XEC variant coincides with the CDC’s prediction that COVID-19 infections will climb again this winter, with a peak in mid-January. However, there is no evidence that XEC will produce more severe results than preceding strains. A CDC official stated that XEC had no distinct symptoms from other co-circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. “At this time, we anticipate that COVID-19 treatments and vaccines will continue to work against all circulating variants,” according to a spokeswoman.
As the virus evolves, researchers and health officials are focusing on maintaining public awareness and readiness. While XEC may make additional advances, it serves as a warning that new varieties are a normal component of the virus’s evolution. Vaccines, therapies, and public health initiatives remain the key strategies for mitigating the effects of COVID-19, even when new strains appear, such as XEC.