New Covid-19 Variant XEC Spreads Across Europe and US

The XEC variant, a recombinant of two Omicron subvariants, shows increased transmissibility but similar severity to previous strains.

XEC is a combination of the KP.3.3 and KS.1.1 variants, first identified in Berlin in August.
More than 600 cases have been reported in 27 countries, with significant prevalence in Europe.
XEC constitutes about 8% of sequenced samples in Europe, with higher rates in France, Germany, and the UK.
Symptoms are similar to other Covid-19 variants, including fever, sore throat, cough, and muscle aches.
Current vaccines are expected to protect against XEC, and booster shots are recommended for enhanced immunity.