A new coronavirus variant is sweeping through Europe and the United States as officials advise ramping up monitoring of its spread.

The variant – known as XEC – has infected 600 people across Europe and North America just ahead of the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere, during which respiratory diseases are typically more widespread.

The variant appears to spread more easily than previous types of COVID but cases of the infection have not been as severe as those seen during the peak years of the pandemic. So what is different about XEC and is there cause for concern?