Health · Public Health & Disease · 18 hrs ago
COVID cases rise in Spain as XFG becomes the dominant variant
COVID infections are rising in Spain, and health experts say the increase reflects real transmission rather than a statistical fluctuation.
In the week from September 28 to October 4, the reported rate was 493.8 cases per 100,000 people, up from 478.2 the previous week.
XFG, a branch of the Omicron family, is now the dominant variant in Spain and much of Europe.
The World Health Organization placed it under monitoring in June 2025 because it was spreading faster than other lineages, but it is not classified as a variant of concern.
There is no evidence that XFG causes more severe illness than other Omicron variants, and hospital admissions have not risen.
Its symptoms are not distinct from those of other recent variants, and available evidence suggests its ability to evade immunity differs only slightly.
XFG is widespread, but experts say it is difficult to prove that the rise in cases is due to this variant alone.
Spain’s COVID-19 rate reached 493.8 cases per 100,000 people in the week from September 28 to October 4, up 3.3% from the previous week.
XFG is now the dominant variant in Spain and much of Europe.
The Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology says the rise in transmission is real, not a statistical fluctuation.
There is no evidence that XFG causes more severe illness than other currently circulating Omicron variants.
The article says the rise has not yet led to an increase in hospital admissions.
- Who
- People in Spain affected by COVID-19, with XFG the dominant variant.
- What
- COVID-19 cases are rising as XFG becomes the dominant variant. The reported rate reached 493.8 cases per 100,000 people.
- When
- The reported rate covers the week from September 28 to October 4, 2026. The article was published on October 11, 2026.
- Where
- Spain; XFG is also dominant in much of Europe.
- Why
- The Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology cites XFG’s greater transmissibility among several factors behind the rise.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
There is a real increase in transmission, not simply a statistical fluctuation.
There is no evidence that XFG causes more severe COVID-19 than the other Omicron variants currently circulating.
A variant with greater transmission capacity can also generate a significant number of hospitalizations simply because it infects more people, even if the risk of severe illness per infection has not increased.
The World Health Organization classified XFG as a variant under monitoring.
XFG accounted for about 54% of reported sequences in European countries with sufficient data.
The rate of respiratory infections rose by 28.2%, while COVID-19 incidence approached 120 cases per 100,000 people.
Spain’s overall case rate was 493.8 per 100,000, up from 478.2 the previous week.
20minutos published its report on rising COVID-19 cases and XFG.
- Spain’s case rate
- 493.8 per 100,000 people
- Change from previous week
- 3.3% increase, from 478.2 per 100,000
- XFG share in Spanish primary-care samples
- Around 69% of characterized variants
- XFG share in Spanish hospital samples
- Around 65% of characterized variants
- XFG share in European sequences
- Around 54% in weeks 34 and 35 of 2026
Sources
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