XE recombinant of Omicron around 10% more contagious, WHO official says

The XE recombinant of Omicron BA.1-BA.2 has a community growth rate advantage of about 10% as compared to BA.2, Spokesperson of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tarik Jašarević told journalists.

He further noted that these are the early estimates based on limited preliminary data suggest and requires further confirmation.

"The XE recombinant (of Omicron BA.1-BA.2) is being tracked as part of the Omicron variant. This recombinant was first detected in the United Kingdom on 19 January and a few hundred sequences have been reported and confirmed since,” added he, noting that WHO is tracking recombinant variants, both recombinants of Delta and Omicron (e.g. XD Pango lineage), as well as recombinants of Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2 (e.g. XE Pango lineage). 

In terms on the XD recombinant (of Delta-Omicron), Jašarević noted that it’s being tracked as a ‘variant under monitoring’ by WHO and available evidence does not suggest that it is more transmissible, and its spread is very limited to date.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to evolve. With such intense transmission worldwide, further variants, including recombinants, will emerge. This is expected, noted he.

"WHO continues to emphasize the importance of testing and surveillance, so that we can track the virus, its spread and evolution. This information and analyses remain critical to effectively end the acute phase of the pandemic,” concluded he spokesperson.

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