Here’s what we know so far about the XE variant – the new omicron subvariant that has been detected in the UK.
The XE variant, as it is known, has so far been detected in 637 patients nationwide, according to the latest statistics from the UK Health Security Agency, which said there is currently not enough evidence to draw conclusions on its transmissibility or severity.
XE contains a mix of the previously highly infectious omicron BA.1 strain, which emerged in late 2021, and the newer “stealth” BA.2 variant, currently the UK’s dominant variant.
It is what’s known as a “recombinant” – a type of variant that can occur when an individual becomes infected with two or more variants at the same time, resulting in a mixing of their genetic material within a patient’s body.
Such recombinants are not uncommon, having occurred several times during the coronavirus pandemic.
Data on the new variant’s severity and ability to evade vaccines is not yet clear, though early estimates suggest it could be more transmissible than earlier strains.
UKHSA data show XE has a growth rate of 9.8% above that of BA.2, while the World Health Organisation has so far put that figure at 10%.
“So far there is not enough evidence to draw conclusions about transmissibility, severity or vaccine effectiveness,” UKHSA’s chief medical advisor professor Susan Hopkins said.
The XE variant currently accounts for less than 1% of total COVID cases that have undergone genomic sequencing in Britain.
Although it’s too early to say for sure, at this point there is no reason to be particularly concerned about the subvariant.
