The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is closely monitoring the new COVID-19 variant Omicron XE.

This new variant was recorded in Australia and New Zealand in the past week.

Permanent Secretary Dr James Fong said the XE variant was a combination of both Omicron sub-variants.

This, he said, was the combination of the BA.1 sub-variant, the original Omicron and BA.2 sub-variant which was a more transmissible Omicron.

“There is some evidence this variant is more transmissible, however there is no evidence of increased severity and no evidence that it evades immunity,” Dr Fong said.

“It is a recombinant of BA.1 and BA.2, both of which remain susceptible to vaccine immunity.

“However, we are closely monitoring the situation and our study continues.”

Dr Fong also added that this was another reason why the ministry had been emphasising on the importance for everyone who had not taken their booster shots to take it when it was readily available.

Variant XE In Other Countries

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health had announced that the Omicron XE variant was detected for the first time, in someone who recently travelled overseas.

The announcement was part of a daily update in which the ministry reported 7930 new community cases of COVID-19 on Saturday.

In the United Kingdom, as of April 6, the XE variant had so far been detected in 637 patients, according to the latest statistics from the U.K Health Security Agency.

The country reported more than 900 cases of the XE variant in its latest update last week as case numbers of the reported variant continue to increase daily.

The variant has also been reported in Japan, Australia and Canada.

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