Experts Warn of New Covid-19 Variants Spreading Globally

The recent cooler weather in the United States has eased the outbreak slightly this summer, but experts warn that new Covid-19 variants are spreading in Europe, and multiple cases have broken out in the United States and China.

Experts say the more aggressive XEC variant could trigger the next wave of global pandemic. The new variant viruses XEC and MV-1 are quietly spreading in many countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has not yet officially announced XEC, but Outbreak.info, which tracks the Covid-19 epidemic, already has sequencing information on this variant and believes that it is likely to trigger the next wave of global pandemic.

William Schaffner, a professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, said XEC is a new Covid-19 variant that is being tracked globally. “It is one of the Omicron variants and appears to be somewhat contagious.”

Data shows that XEC is a combination of the Omicron subvariant KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, and KP.3.3 is a branch of KP.3 and is also one of the virus strains prevalent this summer.

Experts say XEC is more toxic than the above viruses and its symptoms are similar to those of previous variants, including:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Sore throat
• Diarrhea

The XEC virus is currently more common in Europe, appearing in Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, and Portugal, and has also been found in China. There are currently 23 cases in the United States, including 3 in California.

Schaffner suggested wearing a mask when traveling or in crowded indoor places to help reduce the risk of infection. Although there is no vaccine specifically for the new virus strain, October is a good time to get vaccinated, and it is expected that you will have immunity throughout the winter.