Omicron: GP explains ‘overwhelming’ science behind vaccines
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Experts are confident the virus will soon lose grip, but its highly adaptive quality means it continues to produce new strains. The latest to come to light has been dubbed “XE”, but little is yet known about the variant. While the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) is conducting further studies to elucidate the strain’s characteristics, symptoms of the strain appear to be no different to those of its predecessor, Omicron.
The UKSHA has said it is probing the new recombinant to determine how transmissible it is compared to its predecessors.
But preliminary data suggests the XE variant has early growth rates similar to those of the Stealth variant.
What’s more, there is no evidence that it comes with new symptoms to the original Omicron strain, which have been likened to symptoms of a cold.
According to an analysis by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the five most common symptoms of the variant are fatigue, congestion, runny nose and generalised body ache.
READ MORE: Coronavirus symptoms: Are you feeling especially tired? NHS adds new symptom to its list
Data leading up to 16 March 2022 suggests the strain has grown at a rate of 9.8 percent above that of the Stealth variant.
Data released by the World Health Organisation echoed these findings, showing that XE is 10 percent more transmissible than BA.2.
The body cautioned there is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage, and further research is required to confirm preliminary data.
The Agency said in a report released last week: “Early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of 10 percent as compared to BA.2, however, these findings require further information.
“XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be reported.”
Many experts have reiterated that the variant is no cause for alarm as recombinant variants often emerge and disappear on their own.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Medical adviser added: “Recombinant variants are not an unusual occurrence, particularly when there are several variants in circulation, and severe have been identified over the course of the pandemic to date.
“As with other kinds of variant, most will die off relatively quickly.”
The UKSHA also pointed out that the inconsistencies in data meant “it cannot yet be interpreted as an estimate of growth advantage for the recombinant.
“Numbers were too small for the XE recombinant to be analysed by region”.
According to the health body, the XE strain was first discovered in the UK in mid-January, and more than 600 cases have been reported to date.
It comes as the official list of coronavirus symptoms has been extended to include another nine symptoms of coronavirus.
The NHS has cautioned that many of the additional symptoms are similar to those of a cold.
The symptoms added are shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, aching body, headache, sore throat, blocked or runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, and feeling sick.
Professor Tim Spector, from King’s College London, had been lobbying to have the list of symptoms extended after data from the Zoe COVID-19 app suggested symptoms changed significantly over the course of the pandemic.
Commenting on the updated guidance, Professor Spector said: “Main symptoms of coronavirus have finally changed after two years of lobbying… hurrah.”
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