First case of XE variant detected in NSW

NSW Health authorities reported that the case of XE was detected in a recently returned overseas traveller last week.

It was confirmed in the weekly COVID-19 surveillance report NSW Health releases.

“This is the first XE sequence to be identified in NSW and was identified in a recently returned traveller,” NSW Health said in the report.

“Another recombinant BA.1/BA.2 sequence has previously been identified but it was not of the XE lineage.”

There is little data yet on the transmissibility or severity of the new sub-variant.

The World Health Organisation did note last month that XE may be 10 per cent more transmissible than the currently dominant BA.2 Omicron sub-variant.

The Omicron BA.2 sub-variant has been the dominant infection in NSW for several weeks.

NSW Health prioritises the genomic sequencing of people hospitalised and admitted to ICU with COVID-19.

“Therefore the proportion of VOCs (variants of concern) is not necessarily reflective of their distribution in the community,” NSW Health said in the report.