Tue Sep 17 13:01:50 UTC 2024: ## New COVID Variant XEC Spreading Rapidly Across 15 Countries
**New Delhi, India** – A new and highly contagious COVID-19 variant, known as XEC, is rapidly spreading across 15 countries, raising concerns about a potential resurgence of the virus.
First detected in Germany in June, XEC is a combination of the KS.1.1 and KP.3.3 variants. According to experts, XEC has already overtaken the previously dominant FliRT strain and is now the most likely to become the dominant variant globally.
Samples of XEC have been reported from 27 countries, including Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, Portugal, the US and China.
“At this juncture, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely one to get legs next,” said Eric Topol, Director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in California.
Mike Honey, a Melbourne-based data expert, stated that XEC has “charged ahead of other variants” like FLiRT, FLuQU and DEFLuQE strains.
Health officials are closely monitoring the situation and urging individuals to stay informed about the latest developments.
First Piper 