China variants and Omicron XE put fresh focus on Covid-19 mutations

People lining up to buy food amid the Covid-19 outbreak, in Shanghai, China, on March 30, 2022. - Reuters

CHINA, April 4 (Bloomberg): The disclosure of new Covid-19 variants emerging in China and the rise of a potentially more transmissible strain in Britain has recast the spotlight on the ongoing risk of the virus, even as health experts say there's no reason to panic.

The World Health Organisation said a hybrid of two Omicron strains - BA.1 and BA.2 - that was first detected in Britain and dubbed XE could be the most transmissible variant yet.