A new strain of the Omicron Covid variant has been detected in the UK, it's been confirmed.
The variant, known as XE, is a mutation of the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 strains.
Some of the symptoms that have been reported with the XE strain include a fever, sore throat, scratchy throat, cough and cold.
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In a statement to Belfast Live today, an NI Department of Health spokesperson said: "As of 22 March 2022, there were 763 XE sequences in the UK data. As of 22 March 2022, there are 637 XE cases in England.
"Up to 6 April 2022 there have been fewer than 5 provisional or confirmed XE cases identified in Northern Ireland."
A WHO report said early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of 10% as compared to BA.2.
"However this finding requires further confirmation," it added.
"XE belongs to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be reported."
Meanwhile, new figures show that more than three-quarters of a million people in the UK say they have experienced long Covid that has lasted for at least a year.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimates 1.7 million people were likely to be experiencing symptoms of long Covid in the four weeks to March 5, the equivalent of 2.7% of the population.
This is up 13% from 1.5 million people a month earlier, and includes 784,000 people who first had Covid-19, or suspected they had the virus, at least one year ago – the highest number so far.
The new data, published on Thursday, also shows long Covid symptoms are estimated to be adversely affecting the day-to-day activities of 1.1 million people, around two-thirds of those with self-reported long Covid.
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