A new strain called the XEC COVID variant is rapidly spreading in many countries, particularly in Europe, and scientists believe that this virus is a combination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 Omicron subvariants.
It was initially discovered in Germany in June 2024, but recent reports suggest that the strain has made its way into more than 10 countries, including the UK, Denmark, and even the US.
The KS.1.1 variant is a type of FLiRT (Furin-Like Receptor Triad) characterized by mutations in certain amino acid structures on its spike protein, which it uses to attach to human cells. This variant spreads very fast and can partially evade the human immune defense system. Well at least some of them.
On the other hand, the KP.3.3 subvariant, which is a type of FLuQE variant, can bind more effectively to human cells due to a mutation in one of its amino acids on the spike protein. This virus is reported to be more infectious than the KS.1.1 Omicron subvariant.
The director of Scripps Research Translational Institute in California has warned that the XEC COVID variant may become stronger in the upcoming weeks or months. The symptoms of this variant continue to be similar to those of the previously identified Omicron variants, including fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, nausea, body aches, loss of appetite, loss of smell, and fatigue, which are generally flu-like symptoms.
Medical experts are recommending that people wear face masks in public, get vaccinated and receive booster shots to protect themselves, and undergo regular testing for early detection. Dr. Neha Rastogi, an infectious disease consultant at the Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, suggests that the current vaccines may be effective against the new Covid variant, as it appears to be similar to the previously identified variants based on current data.