The Office for National Statistics (ONS) says 4.9 million people in the UK have been infected with Covid-19 since last weekend – a record high during the pandemic. The increase in cases is believed to be due to individuals mixing more freely since the restrictions on Covid and the Omicron BA sub-variant were lifted. But now a further mutation has been identified that could be more contagious, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
What do we know so far?
XE combines genetic characteristics of Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2 into what is known as “recombinant”. In a report released last week, the WHO said the recombinant XE was first detected in the UK on January 19 and said early tests showed it could be more contagious. The report said: “Preliminary estimates show a 10 per cent advantage in community growth over BA.2, but this finding needs further confirmation. “XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission characteristics and disease are reported, including severity.” The United Kingdom Health Insurance Agency (UKHSA) said on Monday that the latest data showed that XE had a growth rate of 9.8 percent above BA.2. However, he warned that “as this assessment did not remain consistent as new data were added, it can not yet be interpreted as an assessment of the growth advantage for recombination”. “The numbers were too small to analyze the recombinant XE by region,” the UKHSA said. In a report released last week, the WHO said the recombinant XE was first identified in the UK on 19 January (PA)
How many cases are there in the UK?
The UKHSA said that by March 22, 637 XE cases had been detected in the UK. This is only a small fraction of the cases, with the latest figures from the ONS showing that 4.9 million currently have coronavirus. The variant has also been identified in Thailand.
Is XE causing new Covid-19 symptoms?
As the secondary variant is new, the situation may change, but XE is not currently considered to be coming with new symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms of the original Omicron strain are very similar to the common cold, especially in people who have been vaccinated. This would include running nose, sneezing and sore throat, in contrast to the original strain of the virus which generally led to fever, cough and loss of taste or smell. However, the NHS official list of general symptoms of Covid was expanded on Monday to include nine new signs of illness. According to nhs.uk, signs of Covid-19 that people should also watch out for include: shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, aching body, headache, sore throat, blockage or runny nose, loss of appetite, diarrhea, malaise or malaise .
