Eris declared variant of interest
A new strain of COVID-19 – Eris or EG.5 – has been designated as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization. Currently, Eris is growing in prevalence globally, with countries including the UK, China and US among those affected.
However, the WHO suggested EG.5 does not pose a particular threat. “Based on the available evidence, the public health risk posed by EG.5 is evaluated as low at the global level,” the agency said.
“While EG.5 has shown increased prevalence, growth advantage, and immune escape properties, there have been no reported changes in disease severity to date,” the WHO added.
What is Eris?
Eris or EG.5 Eris is related to an Omicron subvariant called XBB.1.9.2. The makeup of EG.5 varies slightly from previous sub variants. This may make EG.5 a little better at infecting people and evading immunity, which might be the reason why it’s more transmissible than other variants right now.
No evidence of more severe disease
Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London, said that while the variant was growing in prevalence and appeared to be better at evading the immune system, allowing it to outcompete other variants, there was no evidence that it caused more severe disease, reported The Guardian.
Eris cases rising in England
Last week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published an update that suggested EG.5, or more specifically its subvariant EG5.1, accounts for an estimated 15% of sequenced Covid-19 cases in England, according to The Guardian.
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Experts stress on vaccination
Dr Meera Chand, the deputy director of UKHSA, said, “Vaccination remains our best defence against future Covid-19 waves, so it is still as important as ever that people come take up all the doses for which they are eligible as soon as possible.”
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Symptoms doctors are seeing the most right now
While symptoms can vary from person to person, most infected people experience mild symptoms which include dry cough, headaches, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat and tiredness. Some people can also experience difficulty in breathing.
These symptoms are often mild because there’s more immunity in the population, making infections seem a little less severe. It is important to get tested and see your doctor if you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms.
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