Concerns have spread following the latest strain of the coronavirus, dubbed “XEC”, especially as the world is witnessing a noticeable increase in cases of colds and respiratory viruses with the onset of winter.
What is the XEC mutant?
The “XEC” strain first appeared in May, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO) is the result of merging two different strains of coronavirus, “KS.1.1” and “KP.3.3”.
It was first discovered in Germany in June, and was able to spread quickly across 29 countries around the world, including the US, the UK, and Denmark.
Between August 19 and September 15, the world saw a significant increase in the spread of the variant, with some countries such as Slovenia and the Czech Republic recording high rates of infection, and the UK seeing a slight increase in hospital admissions in October.
Symptoms of the “XEC” variant
Despite the great similarity between the symptoms of the new coronavirus variant and the common cold, there are clear differences between them.
Symptoms of the “XEC” variant include fever, dry cough, severe fatigue, loss of sense of smell and taste, in addition to body aches and shortness of breath in advanced cases.
As for the common cold, symptoms include runny or stuffy nose, persistent sneezing, sore throat, mild cough, and a slight rise in temperature.
Is the new strain in Egypt?
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, confirmed from November to March witnesses a noticeable activity of respiratory viruses in general.
He explained that the coronavirus is now treated like other viruses such as influenza, especially after the World Health Organization announced in May 2023 the end of COVID-19 as a pandemic that requires special attention.
The Head of the Allergy and Immunology Department at VACSERA, Amjad al-Haddad, explained that the spread of respiratory viruses such as colds, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and coronavirus, is a normal thing at this time of year.
Symptoms of the common cold:
- Runny or stuffy nose.
- Constant sneezing.
- Sore throat.
- Mild cough.
- Slight rise in temperature (or no fever).
- Mild fatigue.
- Mild headache.
Duration of symptoms:
- Usually lasts from three to seven days, and is usually mild and does not significantly affect daily activities.
Symptoms of the new coronavirus mutant:
- Fever: a noticeable rise in temperature.
- Dry or persistent cough.
- Severe fatigue: causes unusual fatigue.
- Loss or change in the sense of smell and taste: is considered a distinctive symptom of coronavirus.
- Body aches: especially in the muscles and joints.
- Shortness of breath: may appear in advanced cases.
- Sore throat and runny nose: less common, but may appear in some variants.
- Diarrhea or nausea: may appear in some cases.
Duration of symptoms:
Lasts from seven to 14 days or more, and may be more severe in some cases.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
