A new COVID variant, XEC, has arrived just before fall. The new variant has sprouted from the Omicron variant that developed in late 2021. Though XEC is new, Prof Francois Balloux, director of the Genetics Institute at University College London, told the BBC that he would be surprised if it became the dominant variant throughout winter.

Texas may soon see another type of COVID inside the state. Here's what is known at the time of writing. As revealed by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the strain itself, known as XEC, is derived from the Omicron strain of COVID.

The Texas Biomedical Research Institute has discovered a COVID-19 treatment that can protect from past, present and future strains, researchers say. The San Antonio research institution identified a monoclonal antibody that can neutralize the numerous COVID-19 variants,

COVID-19 variant trackers are now closely watching the rise of a new virus variant called XEC, which has been spotted around the world and in half of states across the United States. Health officials are so far not raising concern about this variant,

A new COVID variant has emerged, with some scientists saying it could soon be the dominant strain of the virus. While global cases of the XEC variant remain small in number, it may "represent a sizeable proportion" of infections by the winter.

The XEC COVID variant has spread rapidly in some European countries, and it's now been reported in some U.S. states. But experts said there's no reason to think it poses a new threat.

The new "XEC" COVID-19 variant spreading rapidly in Europe has arrived in the US. What are the symptoms, will it cause a fall surge, and are vaccines effective? Experts discuss

Two new COVID-19 strains are circulating globally. Here's what we know about them and what experts anticipate.