India has 1,472 active Covid cases as on August 14, 2023. (Image: Shutterstock)
Dr Viswesvaran Balasubramanian, Consultant Interventional Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad explains all about Eris, new Covid variant
Although the pandemic might appear to be a distant recollection for many, the coronavirus is still actively spreading, fueled by the emergence of new cases attributed to recent mutations of the virus.
A novel offshoot of COVID-19, named EG.5, is on the rise across Europe, having been initially detected earlier this year. The World Health Organization (WHO) has categorized it as a “variant of interest” in recent weeks, as instances of infections surge on a worldwide scale.
EG.5 constitutes a sublineage originating from the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. It exhibits a close genetic relationship with other globally prevalent variants. This version of the virus has undergone mutations, leading to its distinct characteristics.
Eris variant which was first identified in July 2023 has now become the second most prevalent strain in the UK. Eris also seen circulating in Europe, Asia, and North America, with Japan reporting a concerning “ninth wave” of Covid infections.
EG.5.1 variant was found to have a growth advantage of 20.5% over other strains and the World Health Organization has already added EG.5.1 to the list of monitored variants, signaling global concern.
Recent data indicates a worrying trend in Covid-19 cases related to the Eris variant especially in UK. As per reports around 5.4% of tests conducted on individuals with respiratory illnesses in the past week in UK turned out to be positive for Covid-19 which was a significant increase from the 3.7% recorded the previous week.
The strain is found to be associated with a slight increase in hospital admission rates across most age groups, particularly among the elderly, however the overall admission levels remain extremely low. Data regarding increase in intensive care unit (ICU) admissions are being monitored.
