New Omicron variant XE: How dangerous is the mutation from BA.1 and BA.2?

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After the Omicron variants, BA.1 and BA.2 are before the Omicron variant XE. It has now surfaced in the UK. This is what is known about it so far.

It is essential to know that the symptoms of Omikron BA.2 can resemble those of a Corona variant. And that’s not all: Hundreds of cases of a new coronavirus variant have now been reported in the UK, which goes by the name XE and is a mutation of the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants. How dangerous is it?

Novel Omicron variant XE: mutation from BA.1 and BA.2 discovered in the U.K. – more than 600 cases

“Very early observations from Denmark suggest that there does not seem to be much difference in disease severity between BA.1 and BA.2,” virologist Sandra Ciesek recently told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. In addition, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) announced in February 2022 that there is no difference in the severity of the disease with Omicron for vaccinated and recovered persons – regardless of whether there is a disease with the Omicron variant BA.1 or BA.2. However, valid clinical data are not yet available.

In terms of corona infection, it is still also interesting to know which rapid corona tests detect disease with the omicron variant. And while this question is occupying people’s minds, another one is now rolling towards them – and the whole thing is then also linked to the fear that the corona incidences may soon shoot up to unimagined heights again. This fear is “fed” by discovering the new omicron variant XE, which is currently occupying the British health authority (UKHSCA) as a recombination of two omicron variants.

The UKHSCA works intensively on the new Omicron variant XE, and two other recombinations exist. However, valid results on how dangerous the Omicron variant, a mutation of the two Omicron strains BA.1 and BA.2, are currently not available. However, a tendency regarding the danger posed by the new Omikcon variant XE is already recognizable, as fr.de reports. According to the British health authority, 637 cases of the new Omicron variant XE were detected in England by March 22, 2022.

However, this is only a tiny fraction of the tens of thousands of coronavirus cases reported daily in England since corona restrictions were lifted. The initial growth rates of the omicron variant XE were not significantly different from BA.2, according to fr.de. Still, using the latest data through March 16, 2022, the growth rate of XE was suddenly much higher. It exceeded the omicron subtype BA.2 by 9.8 percent, according to UKHSCA.

“This particular recombinant variant XE has shown a variable growth rate. However, we cannot yet confirm whether it has a growth advantage,” said Susan Hopkins, senior advisor at the UKHSCA, according to fr.de. “So far, there is not enough evidence to conclude the vaccine’s transmissibility, severity, or efficacy,” Hopkins said of the question of how dangerous the new omicron variant XE is now as a mutation of BA.1 and BA.2.