XEC Covid variant symptoms may appear in an unusual order - six key signs to watch

People are being warned of an unusual order of Covid symptoms, with the now the fastest spreading and detected in multiple countries.

In the UK, eligible people are being urged to get vaccinated against “winter threats”, including Covid . At the moment, the .

Dr Jamie Lopez Bernal, UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: “Covid-19 is continuing to circulate, with a slight increase in hospitalisations over the past two weeks.

“As winter approaches, we expect flu and RSV to increasingly circulate too, so if you’re eligible to get vaccinated against the three main winter threats – Covid-19, flu and RSV – now is the time to take them up and get winter strong.

“We understand people may be concerned about new variants. Our surveillance shows that where Covid cases are sequenced, around one in 10 are the. Current information doesn’t suggest we should be more concerned about this variant, but we are monitoring this closely. The most important thing to do is to get your vaccination as soon as possible if you’re eligible.”

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And a University of Southern California study has revealed the order in which Covid-19 symptoms typically emerge, potentially helping to separate the new Covid variant from other seasonal illnesses. The symptom order for the XEC variant is listed as fever first, followed by cough, , muscle pain or headache, then nausea or vomiting, ending with diarrhoea.

Dr Robert Glatter also pointed out a key difference with the flu, reported , saying: "Patients with seasonal flu more commonly developed a cough before the onset of fever." Understanding where you might be in the sequence of symptoms could help a medical professional. Dr Joseph Larsen, the lead study author, highlighted: "Knowing that each illness progresses differently means that doctors can identify sooner whether someone likely has COVID-19, or another illness, which can help them make better treatment decisions."

The new XEC Covid strain is in other ways similar to previous variants, being a mishmash of subvariants. Dr Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at the University of California, said: "The symptoms seem to be the same as with other recent subvariants of Omicron."

She also pointed out that certain groups, including those who are immunocompromised, older, or not immune, might experience an additional symptom. The health expert cautioned that these individuals could face more severe lower respiratory tract symptoms, potentially leading to different illnesses such as pneumonia.