A new Covid subvariant, EG.5, is becoming a dominant strain in countries including the United States and Britain, piqued the attention of public health experts around the world.
With the advent of successful vaccinations and better social management, however, the Coronavirus has waned.
In the 28 days up to Aug. 3, more than 1 million new covid-19 cases were reported globally, and more than 3,100 deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to nearly 7 million.
How does the Covid subvariant EG.5 Coronavirus differ from other Coronaviruses?
The EG.5 coronavirus is a subvariant of omicron, the world’s most prevalent coronavirus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EG.5 now accounts for the largest proportion of covid cases nationwide.
In keeping with Greek nomenclature, some Twitter users and media outlets have unofficially nicknamed the subvariant “Eris,” but the WHO does not use it officially.
In its latest update, the WHO identified EG.5, which includes a similar EG.5.1 strain, as “variants under monitoring,” so it is not yet a variant of concern.
EG.5 variant, according to Stuart Turville, associate professor at Sydney’s University of New South Wales, is “a little bit more slippery” and “competitive” than its counterparts, allowing it to The presence of antibodies produced by vaccines can be navigated better.
It has evolved slightly to “allow it to engage and enter cells a little bit better,” he said, only slightly different from other subvariants.
As Professor K. Srinath Reddy of the Public Health Foundation of India noted, the subvariant is essentially a variation of other omicron descendants.
As with other omicron variants, EG.5 is “less invasive and lethal in the body,” and “this remains the general observation,” said Reddy, who is a physician.
There’s no doubt that this variant will have a day in the sun or period of dominance for some time before it’s replaced by yet another variant,” he said. “That’s the nature of viruses.”
“The impact on the human body is just about the same for EG.5 as it is for other variants,” he explained. EG.5 is more infectious, but it is not more virulent, and the response to it is generally the same as for other variants.
Covid Subvariant EG.5 may cause what symptoms?
Coronavirus subvariants can cause mild to severe symptoms similar to those of Coronavirus in general.
Coughs, fevers, chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, loss of taste, or headaches are some of the symptoms.
The National Institutes of Health announces long-term clinical trials with hundreds of patients
The use of vaccines and boosters, as well as safe social practices such as wearing face masks and ventilating rooms, should still be encouraged, health experts say.
There is a possibility that the elderly may be more vulnerable to new strains, since their immunity from vaccination may wane more rapidly. However, Reddy said EG.5 should not immediately cause concern.
While it may increase hospitalizations, especially among the elderly, it does not increase the number of intensive care cases or deaths, he said.
The Covid-19 virus is still active, but there’s no need to panic, he said.
What is the status of Covid subviant EG.5?
According to the CDC tracker, the EG.5 variant accounted for 17.3 percent of all Coronavirus cases reported during the two-week period ending Aug. 5.
Nearly 12 percent of all reported cases were EG.5. XBB.1.16, often called “Arcturus,” also remains prevalent in the United States, accounting for nearly 15.6%.
The UK Health Security Agency first flagged EG.5.1 for monitoring in early July, following reports of its surfacing in Asia. The subvariant has also been reported in Britain, India, and Thailand. According to the agency, nearly 12 percent of all sequenced samples were classified as EG.5.1 in late July.
The COVID-19 virus has not gone away, and we expect to see more cases over the winter months, said Mary Ramsay, director of public health programs at the UK Health Security Agency.
What is the potential danger of Covid Subvariant EG.5?
According to Andrea Garcia, the American Medical Association’s vice president for science, medicine and public health, there is no evidence that it causes more severe illnesses. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it does appear susceptible to the Coronavirus vaccine, which is good news.
Reddy says the variant is not of “significant concern,” despite the fact that it “transmits easily,” and Turville advises people who haven’t gotten booster shots or been vaccinated or infected with Coronavirus in the past six months to consider vaccination.
In similar fashion to Reddy, Turville believes the variant is not of “significant concern,” despite the fact that it “transmits well,” and he advises those who have not received booster shots or been vaccinated or infected with Coronavirus in the last six months to get immunized.
Topol explained that the rise of the new subvariant illustrates the challenges public health officials face keeping up with an ever-evolving virus. According to Topol, the ‘pandemic is over’ culture is the last thing we need to confront the pressure we’ve put on the virus to find new ways to get us – to find repeat and new hosts – and evade our immunity.
Do you still think COVID-19 is a big deal?
Covid deaths and illnesses are continuing to decline in many regions, according to the WHO’s latest report. As a result of a lack of testing and reporting to WHO, the agency said figures are difficult to monitor because South Korea, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand had the highest number of reported cases in the past month.
Although the global public health emergency was officially ended on May 5, the WHO said that the Coronavirus remains a major threat. “WHO continues to urge Member States to maintain their established COVID-19 infrastructure, including surveillance and reporting, variant tracking, and early clinical care provision,” it noted.
Although some people want to put the pandemic behind them, Turville said, it’s a “virus we live with now,” just like influenza.
Even if it isn’t front-page news, we are still working behind the scenes.
Also Read: