Eris has been classified as a “variant of interest” of Covid-19 by the WHO but presents, for the moment, a low risk for public health at the global level.
- The new EG5 variant, also called “Eris”, of Covid-19 is from the Omicron family.
- For now, it does not pose a risk to public health worldwide.
- The Ministry of Health in France nevertheless calls for vigilance.
“The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently tracking several variants, including the EG.5 variant, for which we are publishing a risk assessment today.”, can we read in the speech of the Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, during a press briefing held on August 9, 2023.
Eris, the new variant of the Omicron family
This risk assessment bulletin for this variant, published on the same date, indicates that the EG5 variant, also called “Eris”, was detected for the first time on February 17. This variant of the Omicron family, a member of the XBB lineage, is classified as a “variant of interest” by the WHO and is currently particularly present in China, the United States and South Korea.
“Globally, there has been a steady increase in the proportion of reported EG.5s. During the week (…) of July 17-23, 2023, the global prevalence of EG.5 was 17.4%, can we read in this document. This is a notable increase from data reported four weeks earlier, when the global prevalence of EG.5 was 7.6%. (…) Based on the available evidence, the public health risk posed by EG.5 is assessed as low globally.”
In France, the holidays seem to make people forget the Covid-19. Yet, according to Public health France“the passages [aux urgences] for suspicion of Covid-19 are on the rise among children under 2 and adults with numbers remaining moderate”.
Call for vigilance in the face of the resumption of Covid-19
There were 111 passages among the under-2s from July 31 to August 6, compared to 71 the previous week, which represents an increase of 56%. 485 passages among 15-74 year olds from July 31 to August 6, against 389 the previous week, an increase of 25%. And, finally, 324 passages among the 75 years and over from July 31 to August 6, against 242 the previous week, or more 34%.
“The circulation of the Covid is certainly low in France but we must remain vigilant, because the situation is changing rapidly, explains Aurélien Rousseau, Minister of Health, Agence France Press (AFP). We will have to live with the resurgence of this virus for several more seasons.”
And for this, the Minister of Health recalled the importance of barrier gestures which “must remain reflexes to protect themselves and others. It’s true this summer and it will be true this fall. (…) This fall we can also count on the vaccination corresponding to the virus as it has been identified. And we will have to protect fragile people as a priority.“The vaccination campaign should start from mid-October in France.
