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.

Where did XEC come from? It is a recombinant of KP.3.3 and KS.1.1, the “Today” show reported. That means it has the genetic material from two strains. How widespread is it now

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

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin say they have discovered an antibody that could effectively fight against all variants of COVID-19, along with other related viruses.

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.