Covid 19 XEC Variant and Its Potential Impact on Australia

Covid 19 XEC Variant: What You Need to Know

A new COVID-19 strain, known as the XEC variant, has been spreading globally and may soon reach Australian shores just in time for Christmas. Detected in 27 countries, its severity remains unclear. Dr. Stuart Turville, an associate professor in UNSW's immunovirology program, notes that it seems common for different strains to emerge toward the end of the year, stating, "It's almost like clockwork, something always turns up around Christmas and New Year’s Eve." While the XEC variant is a descendant of Omicron, it is a recombinant variant of KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, first spotted in Germany in June. Mr. Turville believes this variant closely resembles earlier KP3 strains but is unlikely to trigger a new wave. He adds, "Global sequencing shows it's quite similar to what's already out there." Clinical microbiologist Paul Griffin emphasizes that it’s too soon to assess the variant’s impact, urging people to stay vigilant as it is rapidly spreading in other countries. Griffin points out that Australia has reduced its surveillance and cautions that the XEC variant could already be present locally. He also mentioned that no reliable clinical data on symptoms for this subvariant are available yet, as these symptoms can vary between individuals. A federal health spokesperson confirmed that as of August 29, 2024, Australia has not reported any sequences from the XEC variant. The ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is expected, and the Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control closely monitors the emergence of new variants both domestically and internationally.