You snooze you lose?
Elsewhere, XEC has been identified in Taiwan, Israel, Canada, and the United States.
Meanwhile, the advice being given by public health authorities across affected regions is to get tested as soon as possible.
The XEC variant is a hybrid of the earlier omicron subvariants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, currently dominant in Europe.
The XEC strain presents symptoms similar to those of other COVID variants. A cough or sore throat is usually the first indicator that a person has contracted the virus.
As with any new strain of coronavirus, omicron for example, the XEC variant is being closely monitored to better understand its symptoms.
One fact that has been determined is that XEC is more contagious than previous strains, according to research undertaken at the Genetics Institute at University College London.
Other signs of XEC may include fatigue and shortness of breath.
A high temperature can also be indicative of the onset of XEC.
A new COVID variant is on the rise in Europe. Known as the XEC COVID-19 strain, it's been reported in at least 11 countries across the continent.
The strongest growth of this new strain has been in Germany, where it first emerged in June 2024, and Denmark.
In Europe, the XEC variant has also been confirmed in Slovenia, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, and the United Kingdom, according to Scripps Research's Outbreaks page.
Scientists fear that, with this global spread, XEC will soon be the dominant strain of the illness.
However, XEC's mutations could help it spread more easily this fall and throughout winter.
The new strain is present in numerous patients across the European Union, North America, and Asia, according to COVID data analysts.
In the United States, the new strain has so far been detected in 12 states, including California.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, warned that XEC "is just getting started now around the world and here."
Though Dr. Topol also predicted that the spread of XEC would take many weeks, perhaps several months, to take hold.
"XEC is definitely taking charge. That does appear to be the next variant," he added. "But it's months off from getting into high levels."
Dr. Topol's analysis is confirmed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). In a statement, the ECDC said that XEC does not yet meet the criteria to become a variant of concern or interest to public health authorities.
Headaches, aching limbs, and muscle pain are often symptomatic of a person having contracted XEC.
And in line with previous cases of COVID-19, some of those stricken with XEC may lose their sense of taste combined with a loss of smell.
Scientists are using a method called sequencing to learn more about XEC.
Sequencing is employed in molecular biology to study genomes and the proteins they encode. However, caution is advised when disseminating sequencing data, warns Scripps Research.
Viral samples that undergo genomic sequencing are not a direct representation of the cases circulating in the community. Furthermore, not all labs are pursuing sequencing at the same rate.
The strains that show up in sequencing data "may not represent the true prevalence of the mutations in the population," Scripps Research adds.
While sequencing doesn't yet provide a magic formula, it can offer early clues on how XEC is evolving.
This gives researchers and medical agencies more time to evaluate whether any specific countermeasures, like altered vaccines or public health recommendations, are needed.
Members of the public are also being urged to get vaccinated and maintain booster shots. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging governments to strengthen vaccine campaigns after it announced that COVID is still "very much with us," with 20% of tests positive in Europe.
Vaccinations still provide the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19 and are updated to better match recent variants.
Sources: (BBC) (The Independent) (Scripps Research) (Euronews) (Los Angeles Times) (ECDC) (WHO)
See also: COVID-19 is here to stay—variant XEC emerges globally
XEC is spread in exactly the same manner as COVID-19, from an infected person's mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing, or breathe.
Public health agencies across Europe are warning of the alarming spread of a new COVID strain that's threatening the continent. Called the XEC variant, the virus has already been detected in at least 11 European nations. It's also been identified beyond the EU, in countries that include Canada and the United States. While scientists are busily working to understand more about this latest COVID mutation, populations are being urged to get tested and request vaccinations.
So, how concerned should we be? Click through and find out just how prevalent XEC is.
New COVID strain threatens Europe, the US, and beyond
Is the XEC COVID variant spreading beyond Europe?
HEALTH Coronavirus
Public health agencies across Europe are warning of the alarming spread of a new COVID strain that's threatening the continent. Called the XEC variant, the virus has already been detected in at least 11 European nations. It's also been identified beyond the EU, in countries that include Canada and the United States. While scientists are busily working to understand more about this latest COVID mutation, populations are being urged to get tested and request vaccinations.
So, how concerned should we be? Click through and find out just how prevalent XEC is.