What to know about new COVID strain as travels, events peak

As Nigeria enters the festive season, there is a growing concern about increased risk of the importation of the new COVID-19 strain, identified as XEC, which could pose a significant threat to public health.

The XEC strain which has been detected in at least 43 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Africa has shown increased transmissibility in early studies.

Although the Nigerian government has announced there is currently no evidence of the XEC variant in the country, virologists and health experts have alerted to the risk of local transmission as Nigerians prepare for cross-country travels and mass gatherings during the Yuletide.

Experts have called for heightened surveillance, especially at the nation’s borders, to prevent the importation of the rising XEC COVID-19 strain amid low vaccination rates in Nigeria.

Also, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned about the spread of the variant across the African continent. This follows a reported case in Botswana involving a European traveler, who was subsequently transferred to South Africa for treatment.

“A surge in COVID-19 cases during the holiday season is a recurring trend, exacerbated by increased travel and reduced adherence to safety protocols. For Nigeria, the immediate priority is to mitigate local transmission risks as the Yuletide draws near, especially because this strain has shown high transmissibility compared to other strains and has a potential of becoming dominant variant globally”, a public health expert said.

“Given the characteristics of the XEC strain, it is crucial to ramp up vaccination campaigns. We must learn from past experiences and act decisively to protect citizens “, she stressed.

Speaking on Arise TV on Monday, Aleri Roberts, associate professor, community health, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said there was high risk of importing the virus into Nigeria this season.

“It only takes one person to bring it in. We are entering Christmas season when children, friends and relatives are coming in for the holiday. We are expecting an influx of people, if they are coming from Australia or any countries that have reported a case, there is a very high possibility they will come in with the XEC virus”, she said.

“The double mutation means there is a possibility of double severity, these are things we expect”, she added.

Read also: COVID-19: Omicron strain spells trouble on Nigeria’s slow vaccine rollout

What is the XEC variant

XEC is part of a growing list of recombinant strains, meaning it combines genetic material from two different strains. It is a sub-variant of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain. XEC first appeared in Germany in June 2024 before spreading rapidly throughout other parts of Europe. In late November, XEC was responsible for an estimated 38 percent of COVID infections in the U.S.—making it the second most prevalent strain, rising from seventh place at the end of September, according to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

XEC is more infectious

XEC is more contagious than previous variants due to its additional mutations. The XEC COVID-19 variant appears to be a recombinant of Omicron variant that combines genetic material from the sub-variants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, leads to changes in its spike protein, which make it easier to spread between individuals. Health experts believe XEC has a “significant growth advantage” over other sub-variants, contributing to its rapid spread in Europe and the United States.

Immune evasive

XEC sub-variant of COVID-19 appears to have immune evasive characteristics. Preliminary findings suggest that XEC has unique mutations contributing to higher immune evasion when compared to its parent lineages, specifically KP.3.3. This means that XEC could partially escape neutralising antibodies, making it more capable of spreading despite prior immunity from infection or vaccination

Symptoms

Although XEC is highly transmissible, it is not yet proven to cause more severe symptoms compared to previous variants. Most reported symptoms are similar to other Omicron sub-variants, such as fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, Vomiting and shortness of breath

Potentially dominant strain

The XEC strain of COVID-19 is showing signs that it could become a dominant strain. According to recent studies and health reports, XEC has been rapidly increasing in prevalence and is expected to fuel the upcoming winter wave of COVID-19 infections. As of late November, XEC has overtaken other strains such as KP3.1.1 in certain areas, suggesting its potential to become the most widespread variant in certain regions like the U.S. and Europe

Treatment

The treatment options for XEC, the new COVID-19 strain, are primarily centred on prevention through vaccination and standard COVID-19 management strategies. Health experts suggest that updated vaccines released for the 2024-2025 season are well-matched against the XEC variant. These vaccines should provide strong protection against XEC and other related strains due to similarities in their genetic makeup.

Prevention

To prevent the spread of the XEC COVID-19 variant, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention recommends implementing standard COVID-19 precautions. These include maintaining good personal hygiene, such as regular hand-washing and the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers; practicing mask-wearing in crowded indoor settings, and observing physical distancing when possible.

Additionally, vaccination remains a key preventive measure, with updated COVID-19 vaccines expected to offer protection, although their effectiveness against the XEC variant may vary.

FG’s response

The Federal Ministry of Health announced that it has heightened surveillance at all entry points to Nigeria. Government said it has upgraded federal tertiary hospitals by establishing molecular laboratories, isolation centres, and intensive care units equipped with ventilators.