- The World Health Organization labels the Covid-19 strain ‘Eris’ as a variant of interest due to rising global cases.
- The designation aims to monitor the strain’s impact, but the public health risk is currently considered low.
- The strain shows increased prevalence and immune escape properties, but no severe disease changes reported.
A newly identified strain of Covid-19 has gained attention as a variant of interest according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Termed EG.5 or “Eris,” it shares a connection with the Omicron subvariant XBB.1.9.2 and is spreading globally, affecting countries such as the UK, China, and the US.
Despite its prevalence, the WHO has classified the public health risk associated with EG.5 as low, on par with other variants of concern. Although EG.5 displays heightened prevalence, growth advantage, and immune evasion properties, there has been no evidence of increased disease severity.
Experts suggest it may lead to a wave of cases, hospitalizations, and Long Covid, but its impact is not expected to surpass previous waves this year. The WHO outlines recommended measures to understand EG.5’s effects better, including monitoring for changes in severity indicators. In the UK, EG.5.1 accounts for about 15% of sequenced Covid-19 cases. Authorities emphasize that vaccination remains crucial for defense against future waves of the virus.