Fourth wave of Covid-19: 5 things about new XE variant you must know

New Delhi: The scare of the fourth wave of Covid-19 has peaked in India once again amid reports that the new XE variant has reached the country, which the WHO suggests is more transmissible than its sister lineage.

While there’s still final confirmation awaited on the Centre’s part whether or not the XE variant has been detected in Mumbai in the 50-year-old woman as confirmed by GISAID.

The patient is asymptomatic and was found to be RT-PCR negative on repeat testing.

Meanwhile, amid the reports, here’s what we know about the XE variant of coronavirus so far and 5 important facts about this lineage:

Is XE a variant of concern?

WHO has highlighted the new XE variant of the coronavirus in its new report. A total of 637 cases have been found so far in the UK, where it was first found in January 2022

Regarding the severity of the variant, Hopkins Univerity says that more information will be needed to confirm how deadly it is and how much damage it can cause.

All health organisations have become alert about this new variant. Although it has not yet been considered if it is a variant of concern, WHO is investigating its seriousness.

It’s a combination of two Covid variants

WHO has time and again said that the variants of the coronavirus can come together to form a new and more problematic variant as it happened in the past with Deltacron- a combination of Delta and Omicron variants.

Similarly, XE is also believed to be a combination of two lineages of the highly transmissible Omicron variant BA.1 and BA.2 (stealth Omicron).

How is XE different from Omicron?

As per the initial reports and information on the XE variant of the coronavirus, the new variant has three other mutations which were not there in Omicron or BA.1 or BA.2. "That is why it is called XE. It will now be a variant," Rakesh Mishra, Director of the Tata Institute of Genetics and Society, Bengaluru, told PTI.

XE has rapid spread capability

Unlike other variants of the coronavirus, XE can be the most contagious of them so far. This variant is said to be highly transmissible and surpasses the rapidity of the Omicron variant, which was said to be the most contagious as of now.

Symptoms of XE variant

According to the UK Health Security Agency, XE comes with symptoms such as running noses, sneezing and sore throats, as opposed to the original strain of the virus which generally led to fever, coughs and a loss of taste or smell.

And the NHS added shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, an aching body, a headache, a sore throat, a blocked or runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, feeling sick or being sick are also some reported symptoms.