2023-08-17 10:00:00
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a new COVID subvariant called EG.5, unofficially nicknamed “Eris”, as a variant of interest, y is asking countries to strengthen surveillance as cases grow globally.
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The new strain of COVID, which is descended from the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, is increasing in prevalence globally, including in countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and China. It has been detected in a total of 51 countries, such as South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, France, Portugal and Spain.
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WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ERIS
Since it first appeared, COVID has been mutating, or changing shape. The new gene versions that keep appearing are called variants. According to the WHO, EG.5 was first seen in February 2023 and cases have been increasing steadily.
She has been nicknamed Eris on social media, after the name of a goddess in Greek mythology.. The unofficial nickname follows the WHO convention of using letters of the Greek alphabet to assign “simple and easy to pronounce” labels for key variants.
PREVALENCE IN THE US AND UNITED KINGDOM
The WHO considers EG.5 and other related subvariants, including 5G.5.1. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), 5G.5.1 now represents approximately one in seven COVID cases detected in hospital tests.
Cases of EG.5 are also increasing in the United States, where it has narrowly outperformed other Omicron subvariants in circulation, according to estimates released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Epidemiologists believe that human behavior is driving this rebound. They point to things like record heat that is driving more people indoors for air conditioning, helping to spread the virus. Summer travel takes people outside of their normal social circles, leading the virus to new victims.
SYMPTOMS OF THE ERIS VARIANT
With everything, Mary Van Kerkhovethe WHO technical lead on COVID-19, indicated that EG.5 has higher transmissibility, but is not more severe than other Omicron variants: “Taken together, the available evidence does not suggest that EG.5 has additional public health risks in relation to the other lineages descendants of Omicron that currently circulate. While EG.5 has shown increased prevalence, growth advantage, and immune escape properties, no changes in disease severity have been reported to date.”
Los main symptoms they remain sore throat, congestion, sneezing, coughing, headache, hoarse voice, muscle aches and loss of smell.
While older vaccines may not completely prevent EG.5.1 infections, booster doses targeting a variant called XBB.1.5 are currently in development.
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