According to World Health Organisation (WHO), a new COVID-19 variant EG-5, also known as Eris, has been discovered. The symptoms of the EG-5 variant Eris are reported to be a running nose, coughing, sneezing, fever, and fatigue among others.

DOMINANT IN THE US

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that the new variant is dominant in the United States and is reported to have changes that give it dominance over other variants despite it not posing a substantial threat. Wits Professor Shabir Madhi told the SABC that the one concern in South Africa is the amount of testing that's being done is very limited, especially for mild cases. "But even looking at hospitalisation, there hasn't been much change in the number of individuals being admitted for COVID-19- almost for the past 12 months, which is a very positive thing," he says.

HOSPITALISATION

It is reported that hospitalisations are on the rise in Europe, Asia, and the US, due to the new variant, which is a subvariant of the Omicron lineage that originally emerged in November of 2021. EG.5 was found in more than 50 countries as of August 8, according to the WHO and it is the most fastest-growing COVID-19 subvariant in the U.S. The World Health Organization (WHO) classified EG-5 as a variant of interest and that it should be closely watched because of mutations that might make it more contagious.

VACCINATIONS



South Africans have been urged to vaccinate to protect themselves from the new variant and those who have to take boosters. South African Medical Association (SAMA) Chairperson Dr. Mvuyisi Mzukwa tells the SABC that vaccinating is important and continuous wearing of masks and social distancing should be adhered to. "Government should be encouraging citizens to vaccinate especially those that are at higher risk, prevent infection and obviously there should be a continuous public message on education on how to avoid infections."