A new Covid variant, named Eris or EG.5.1, has been causing alarm as it spreads rapidly across the UK. Initially identified as a variant on July 31, Eris is a variant of the Omicron strain and has now become the second most prevalent one, accounting for a troubling one in ten Covid cases.
The surge in infections comes at a time when the country is grappling with a spike in hospital admissions, further compounded by inclement weather and waning immunity.
The situation has prompted experts to sound the alarm bells, warning of the potential for another wave fuelled by subvariants of Omicron, Arcturus, and Eris.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has been closely monitoring the emergence of Eris since July 3, 2023, following a significant increase in international reports, particularly in Asian regions.
In the week beginning July 10, approximately 11.8% of UK sequences were identified as Eris, and the latest data indicates that this figure has climbed to a worrisome 14.6% of all cases.
This progression has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to add EG.5.1 to its list of variants under monitoring.
Symptoms of Eris
Eris has inherited some of its symptoms from the parent Omicron strain.
The top five symptoms associated with the variant, as reported by the ZOE Health Study, are:
Runny nose. Headache. Fatigue (mild or severe). Sneezing. Sore throat.
Professor Christina Pagel, a member of Independent Sage, expressed her concern about the UK possibly entering another wave driven by these variants, waning immunity, and unfavourable weather. She pointed out that the recent persistent wet weather might be contributing to the surge as people spend more time indoors.
She warned that this could be just the beginning, and as the summer holidays end, and schools and workplaces reopen, the wave could grow exponentially in September.
Read: New Covid variant ‘Arcturus’ behind surge in cases in India
However, Professor Azeem Majeed, head of primary care and public health at Imperial College London, attempted to calm some fears by downplaying the concerns surrounding Eris.
He emphasized that fluctuations in case numbers are natural, and while Eris is designated as a variant under monitoring by WHO, it is not currently classified as a variant of concern.
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