The EG.5.1 or Eris strain is now the most common Covid-19 variant in the UK and US.
- The EG.5.1 variant has been detected in at least 36 countries worldwide.
- This new strain of coronavirus has genetic characteristics of the XBB.1.9.2 and S:F456L variants.
- In the UK, the EG.5.1 strain is now the most common variant.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has implemented close monitoring of the various mutations of the infection. Recently, the organization added EG.5.1 to its list of variants under surveillance (VUM). As of July 24, 2023, nearly 2,442 EG.5.1 sequences have been recorded in 36 countries around the world, according to data from Outbreak.infoa platform that gathers data on SARS-CoV-2.
UK: 14.55% of Covid-19 sequencing cases linked to strain EG.5.1
On Twitter, virologists, including Ryan Gregory, professor of integrative biology at the University of Guelph located in Ontario (Canada), named the EG.5.1 mutation “Eris”. This term refers to the most massive dwarf planet in the solar system. However, this is not the official name of the mutation.
First detected in March, this new SARS-CoV-2 mutation has genetic characteristics of XBB.1.9.2 and S:F456L variants, classified as MUVs by the WHO. In the UK, this strain has become the most common. The British Health Security Agency (UKHSA) notably announced that surveillance of the EG.5.1 variant began in July in the face of increased reports internationally, particularly in Asia.
As of July 20, 14.55% of Covid-19 sequencing cases were related to strain EG.5.1 in the UK. In an interview given to Jerusalem PostMeaghan Kall, epidemiologist at UKHSA, indicated that this variant represents 20% of cases sequenced in Asia, 10% of cases sequenced in Europe and 7% of cases sequenced in North America.
Covid-19: a call for close monitoring of new strains
In the UK, hospitalizations associated with the coronavirus are also on the rise. “We continue to see an increase in COVID-19 cases in this week’s report. We also saw a slight increase in hospital admission rates across most age groups, particularly among people elderly (…) Overall admission levels remain extremely low and we are not currently seeing a similar increase in intensive care unit admissions. We will continue to monitor these rates closely.”noted Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunization at UKHSA.
Due to the rapid spread of the EG.5.1 variant, Maria Van Kerkhove, Head of the Emerging Diseases Unit at WHO, called on Member States to maintain surveillance, tracking of Covid-19 strains, provision of early clinical care as well as vaccine boosters in populations at risk.
