The variant, which first appeared in Berlin in late June, has increasingly seen hundreds of cases in Germany, France, Denmark and Netherlands, according to a report by Australia-based data integration specialist Mike Honey.

The winter season ushers in a new globally spreading COVID-19 variant called XEC, a mix of KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, both from the Omicron family. While still closely related to prior strains, this one carry unique transmission traits and is under rigorous observation by health officials.

Much like its predecessors, the XEC variant has a range of symptoms – we all know Covid is an illness that can impact people in different ways – but there are some core signs to look out for, including a fever (especially in the earlier stages), a sore throat and changes in your sense of smell.