close
close

What you should know about the new XEC COVID variant in California

A new variant of COVID-19 called XEC is spreading rapidly in Europe and other parts of the world, just after a summer of increased COVID cases in the U.S. According to TODAY.com, experts predict that XEC is on track to become the dominant variant in the country by fall. So has it been detected in California yet? The short answer is yes. But it hasn't set off alarm bells at the California Department of Public Health. CDPH officials said a small number of COVID-19 XEC sequences have been detected in the state since mid-August. In fact, the department has not yet added the XEC variant to the chart it uses to track COVID variants. CDPH also noted that COVID-19 levels are generally declining. “While COVID-19 levels had increased over the summer to levels comparable to last summer, they are now declining, as evidenced by both the decreasing number of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests and the decrease in detections in wastewater,” officials told KCRA 3 in a statement. Additionally, the updated 2024-25 vaccines are expected to protect against XEC as well as other variants expected to circulate in the fall and winter. For more coverage of California's top news, click here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

SACRAMENTO, California —

A new variant of COVID-19 called XEC is spreading rapidly in Europe and other parts of the world, just after a summer of increased COVID cases in the United States

According to TODAY.com, experts believe that XEC may become the dominant strain in the country by fall.

Has it already been discovered in California?

The short answer is yes. However, this has not raised any alarm bells at the California Department of Public Health.

CDPH officials said a small number of COVID-19 XEC sequences have been detected in the state since mid-August.

In fact, the department has not yet added the XEC variant to the spreadsheet it uses to track COVID variants.

The CDPH also noted that overall COVID-19 cases are declining.

“While COVID-19 levels had increased over the summer to levels comparable to last summer, they are now declining, as evidenced by both the decreasing number of positive SARS-CoV-2 tests and detections in wastewater,” officials said in a statement to KCRA 3.

In addition, the updated vaccines for 2024-25 are expected to protect against XEC as well as other variants expected to circulate in the fall and winter.

You can find more reports on the most important topics from California here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

You may also like...