Also called Deltacron, this variant was detected in early 2022. Its symptoms are similar to those of Omicron.
- This new variant is classified VUM, for variant under evaluation.
- Forty cases of infection by the XD variant have been recorded in France.
- Since mid-February, the Delta variant is no longer listed in France.
The Covid-19 virus is constantly mutating. L’World Health Organization lists all the new variants identified throughout the world, and classifies them according to the level of concern. If Omicron is considered to be of concern, others are under surveillance or are no longer because their level of circulation is low or without impact on the evolution of the epidemic. France is also conducting investigations on the different variants. Since mid-February, the laboratories of the EMERGEN consortium, Public Health France and the CNR Virus for respiratory infections have been observing the evolution of Deltacron, a variant that seems to combine characteristics of Delta and Omicron. The French researchers renamed it the XD variant. It corresponds to the combination between the genome of the Delta variant, AY.4 sub-lineage, of which it is mainly made up, and the genome of the Omicron variant, BA.1 sub-lineage, in a smaller portion.
Several reports in Europe
The first reports date back to January 2022. This new variant is spotted among a group of 25 cases of Covid-19. At first, the scientific community leaned towards the thesis of an infection of the samples, which would have biased the analysis. But a few weeks later, another case is reported in the UK. The British health authorities believe that it was a rare case of co-infection with the Delta and Omicron variant simultaneously. This means that the person concerned has been infected with both variants, but not with a new variant.
Low and stable circulation in France
Since mid-February, its incidence has been observed in France. Its circulation would concern several regions, but it has stagnated at low levels for several weeks. Between the first week of 2022, and week 10, i.e. that of March 7, Public Health France notes that the frequency of detection of this new variant does not increase. “To date, very little data is available on the characteristics of the XD variant, but investigations are ongoing.”specifies the organization in a communicated.
What are the symptoms of infection with the XD variant?
Among the cases identified in France, very few infected people were asymptomatic. Fatigue was the most common symptom, followed by headache and fever. A number of infected people also suffered from coughs and sore throats. Cases of ageusia, loss of taste and anosmia, loss of smell, seemed more frequent, compared to the Omicron variant. On the other hand, severe forms seem very rare: no death linked to this variant has been recorded.
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