{"id":11846,"date":"2023-08-15T08:25:38","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T08:25:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/isafespend.com\/news\/as-the-new-eris-covid-variant-spreads-across-the-world-heres-what-we-know-so-far\/"},"modified":"2023-08-15T08:25:40","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T08:25:40","slug":"as-the-new-eris-covid-variant-spreads-across-the-world-heres-what-we-know-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isafespend.com\/?p=11846","title":{"rendered":"As the new Eris Covid variant spreads across the world, here\u2019s what we know so far"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The World Health Organization is monitoring a new strain of Covid-19 called EG.5, or “Eris,” that accounts for a growing share of cases in countries including China and the United States.<\/p>\n

The WHO has designated it a “variant of interest,” meaning it will be monitored for mutations that could make it more severe. <\/p>\n

Based on current evidence, the WHO says it presents a low public health risk at a global level, in-line with other variants currently in circulation.<\/p>\n

“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 said in a risk evaluation published Aug. 9.<\/p>\n

It added that these properties may lead the variant to become dominant in some countries, or indeed globally.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Based on sequencing information submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) as of Aug. 7, the largest portion of EG.5 cases were identified in China, followed by the U.S., South Korea, Japan and Canada. <\/p>\n

It was also identified in Australia, Singapore, the U.K., France, Portugal and Spain.<\/p>\n

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EG.5 is now the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for 17.3% of cases as of the week ending Aug. 5.<\/p>\n

It comes as Moderna