News Desk:
“XE” —a new mutant variant of SARS-CoV-2 virus is supremely contagious and could cause a new high-risk COVID wave, warned the World Health Organisation (WHO). It was originally discovered in the UK on January 19th, 2022. At the moment, it’s the most prevalent strain, accounting for 86% of all recent COVID cases.
Recent research reveals that the new XE strain is ten times more transmissible than the earlier strains of the disease. According to the reports, this new variant is a recombinant strain, meaning it is a mutant hybrid of the two previous versions of the Omicron variant,
BA.1 and BA.2, which spread across the world when it first became a variant of concern.
A UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) study recently revealed that currently as many are 3 hybrid COVID variants are circulating. The two different combinations of Delta and BA.1 are XD and XF and the third is XE.
Concern over the high levels of transmissibility WHO cautioned of another pandemic in-waiting. Though, WHO also clarified that till the new variant is studied further and significant differences are identified, it will continue to be categorised as part of the Omicron variant.
The newest variant of coronavirus does not lead to any severe symptoms, but it spreads rapidly. Fatigue and dizziness are some of the initial symptoms, followed by headaches, sore throat, muscle soreness and fever.
But the most common symptoms of coronavirus such as the loss of smell and taste are rarely reported in people affected with the new Omicron variant. Some other possible gastrointestinal signs like diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache and others are quite common.
