The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reaffirms its dedication to improving emergency preparedness and response protocols, continuously upgrading its capacity for rapid and effective action. A comprehensive risk and readiness assessment is underway to inform the development of a strategic action plan.
To alleviate public concern, the NCDC issued a clarification regarding the COVID-19 variant reported in Australia. The recent emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 XEC sub-variant, a descendant of the Omicron lineage, highlights the virus's continued evolution.
The NCDC's public awareness announcement highlights the global monitoring of numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants. Currently, the JN.1 variant, designated a Variant of Interest (VOI), has been identified in 132 countries, including the United States, India, Australia, the United Kingdom, China, New Zealand, Thailand, Canada, Singapore, and Nigeria. This VOI is not currently assessed as posing a significant risk.
The XEC subvariant, a lineage of JN.1, currently holds Variant Under Monitoring (VUM) designation. This signifies ongoing surveillance for potential risks, though it has not yet met the criteria for a Variant of Interest (VOI) classification. A rise in COVID-19 cases linked to the XEC variant has been observed across 43 countries spanning Europe, Asia, North America, and recently, Botswana in Africa.