The Omicron sub-variant XE is the latest in a line of coronavirus strains that have piqued people바카라s curiosity and raised concerns about increased transmissibility or severity.
All viruses evolve and acquire mutations, which lead to the formation of its many 바카라variants바카라. These 바카라variants바카라 further split and branch to form their sub-lineages called 바카라sub-variants바카라.
The Omicron sub-variant XE is the latest in a line of coronavirus strains that have piqued people바카라s curiosity and raised concerns about increased transmissibility or severity.
The novel coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 disease, has developed many variants in the last two years through evolution. This evolutionary process takes process in all viruses and is in itself not a form of concern.
All viruses evolve and acquire mutations, which lead to the formation of its many 바카라variants바카라.
These 바카라variants바카라 further split and branch to form their sub-lineages called 바카라sub-variants바카라. The Delta variant that was behind India바카라s deadly second wave is known to have up to 200 sub-variants.
Not all mutations and variants (and sub-variants) these mutations lead to are concerning. However, some mutations do make the virus better at infecting people or in making them more sick.
The Omicron variant has three sub-variants 바카라 BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3.
The XE is a 바카라recombinant바카라 of BA.1 and BA.2 sub-variants, which means it is a mixture of these two and contains both of their mutations. This is why many early reports referred to XE as the 바카라Frankenstein바카라 variant 바카라 a reference to Frankenstein's Monster, which was made by mixing several body parts in a famous novel.
The XE was first discovered in the United Kingdom in January 2022. Around 600 cases have since been discovered across the world.
The XE is 10 per cent more transmissible than Omicron바카라s BA.2 sub-variant, which itself was 80 per cent more transmissible than the BA.1 sub-variant, according to the World Health Organization.
However, the XE so far does not appear to be very different from other Omicron sub-variants.
Experts have highlighted that XE has emerged very quickly after previous Omicron waves and it means that this new sub-variant will face the wall of natural immunity from recoveries from earlier Omicron infections. Increased vaccination across the world is also believed to blunt any impact that XE might have had, combined with the natural immunity.
The XE does not appear to have any special symptoms. Reports from the UK, where it first emerged, have noted cold as the most common symptom. Other symptoms are said to be the same for all other variants and sub-variants, such as sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, and runny nose.
Recombinant strains of coronaviruses, which are mixtures of two strains, are bound to emerge as virus circulates among people, according to experts.
Carlos Malvestutto, an infectious disease specialist at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Healthline, 바카라It has already happened a few times and usually the way that it happens is you have two circulating variants, someone may get infected with both at the same time and then the virus will recombine with characteristics of both variants.바카라
Malvestutto said there is no indication so far that XE is any better at escaping immunity from either earlier infection or vaccination.
Carl Fichtenbaum, an expert at the Cincinnati College of Medicine, said increased transmissibility of XE 바카라 or any other variant of the virus 바카라 does not necessarily make it more dangerous.
He said, 바카라It just means that in animal models and humans, the rate of infection is higher. It does not mean it makes you sicker or more likely to be hospitalised.바카라