The new strain of Covid-19, Eris, is believed to pose the same global risk as existing strains.
The World Health Organization is monitoring the new strain of Covid-19, called EG.5 or ‘Eris’.
The World Health Organization has named it a ‘variety of necessity’.
It means that it is being monitored because it is a potentially more severe mutation.
It has been reported that it is increasing in several countries including China and America.
Symptoms for Eris, including fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue, runny nose and changes in taste and smell, are also reported to be similar to those of previous Covid variants.
“While the prevalence of EG.5 has increased, no change in disease severity in the strain’s developments and immune escape properties has been reported to date.” The World Health Organization published the risk assessment report on the 9th.
However, improved Covid vaccines targeting Eris will be available in the US from the end of September and are expected to offer better protection against the new strain.
Based on current cases, the World Health Organization says it is a phenomenon of low public health risk globally, in line with other strains currently in circulation.
In May, however, the World Health Organization stressed that Covid-19 was now “an established and ongoing health problem and no longer a public health emergency of international concern”.
