“It might start becoming the top circulating lineage,” Rajnaranayam said, predicting XEC will take the rest of October and early November to gradually outcompete KP.3.1.1 in the United States, becoming the dominant lineage over the winter 2024/25 season.

That would mean the usual COVID symptoms listed by the NHS - including a high temperature or shivering, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change to sense of smell or taste - would still apply. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, feeling tired or exhausted, an aching body and a headache.

When it comes to where the new variant has been detected, right now, it’s more common in Europe. Currently, it’s been detected in Poland, Norway, Luxembourg, Ukraine, and Portugal. But XEC has been detected in other places too, such as China, not to mention the 23 cases that have been detected in U.S. so far, including three in California.

The new Covid variant XEC has been detected in 27 countries across Europe, Asia and North America. More than 600 cases have been recorded globally, including 82 confirmed cases within the UK

Over the nearly five years since COVID first emerged, you'd be forgiven if you've lost track of the number of new variants we've seen. Some have had a bigger impact than others, but virologists have documented thousands.

A new COVID-19 variant, called XEC, is spreading rapidly in Europe. XEC may “ become the dominant variant globally in the next few months ” because of its growth advantage over other circulating variants, according to researchers at the University of Glasgow.

A new and highly transmissible Covid variant is on its way to becoming the most dominant in the UK, as experts are urging Brits to get their autumn vaccines ahead of time

The NHS has urged people 'clinically at risk' to get vaccinated before the winter as XEC variant Covid-19 cases continue to rise with some people at far higher risk from the infection

The XEC strain has been detected in 29 countries, with scientists saying it could become the dominant Covid variant. Here’s everything you need to know. A new Covid variant that scientists say could become the dominant type has been detected in Australia.