Next generation of COVID emerges, scientists call it ‘Frankenstein’ subvariant
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — According to scientists, omicron has morphed into yet another possibly more genetically powerful mutation.
The subvariant is called XE. But, some health authorities have a different name for it: the Frankenstein mutation.
News 8 spoke with Dr. Christopher Doehring, vice president of medical affairs at Franciscan Health, who broke down what we do and don’t know about XE so far.
“What appears to have happened with XE is you have gotten kind of a recombinant version that’s formed as a result of BA.1 and BA.2,” he said. “A sort of mixing of some of their features.”
BA.1 is the original omicron strain. BA.2 is the more infectious omicron offshoot that’s taken over 57 countries including China, Europe and the U.S.
Doehring says for now we shouldn’t be overly concerned, and XE’s emergence isn’t necessarily something that comes as a surprise to him considering the coronavirus’ ability to rapidly grow and evolve.
“At this point there are a very small number of samples of XE around the world that have been isolated — about 100 — and it is extremely limited in the United States. Some small number of cases because of travelers who’ve come from overseas.”
Preliminary data from the World Health Organization shows XE is the easiest to catch of all mutations to date. But, it’s severity remains unknown.