The World Health Organization has said that it is currently tracking several Covid-19 “variants of interest,” including EG.5 which is on the rise in several countries. The UN health body said that the EG.5 variant of the coronavirus nicknamed “Eris” is spreading quickly and widely.
“The risk remains of a more dangerous variant emerging that could cause a sudden increase in cases and deaths,” said Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on Aug 9.
What is EG.5?
EG.5 is a sublineage of the omicron variant and has been detected in 51 countries, including the United States, China, South Korea and Japan, according to an initial risk evaluation of the WHO.
EG.5 is a descendent lineage of XBB.1.9.2, which has the same spike amino acid profile as XBB.1.5. It was first reported in Feb 2023 and cases have been increasing steadily.
Globally, there has been a steady increase in the proportion of EG.5 reported. During epidemiological week 29 (17-23 July), the global prevalence of EG.5 was 17.4 percent. This is a notable rise from the data reported four weeks prior (19-25 June 2023), when the global prevalence of EG.5 was 7.6 percent.
Because of its growth advantage and immune escape characteristics, EG.5 may cause a rise in case incidence and become dominant in some countries or even globally, the WHO has warned.
What symptoms does it cause?
The symptoms seem to be the same as those caused by other strains, said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, Chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital.
Symptoms similar to other variants of coronavirus such as a runny nose, headache, fatigue, and sore throat and sneezing are common. People who are older, have compromised immune systems, or suffer from multiple other conditions are at higher risk for more severe effects which may include lower respiratory disease, chest pain and shortness of breath.
Is Nepal prepared to handle a rise in the number of cases?
Nepal has seen a total of 1,157,462 coronavirus cases as of Aug 15, as per the Ministry of Health and Population. A total of 12,031 deaths have been reported across the country.
There was a massive rise in the number of coronavirus cases during the spread of the Delta variant. At the time, there was a severe lack of oxygen, hospital beds, human resources, and medical equipment in hospitals and other health facilities. But Nepal has not learnt lessons from the past, said Dr Pun. “If there is a sudden rise in the number of cases, it will be difficult to handle the cases.”
The government has already scrapped the Covid-19 protocols. As per the protocol international passengers no longer have to carry negative PCR test reports and Covid vaccination certificates. Also the restrictions that were imposed for the prevention of the coronavirus infection have already been lifted.
When there is a rise in the number of cases in foreign countries due to the new variant, it is very likely that the same variant could enter Nepal. “We have to monitor our borders, strengthen our health system and increase surveillance,” said Dr Pun.
Recommendations to prevent the virus
In response to the new variant and rise in the number of cases, the WHO has published various recommendations, which include updating national Covid-19 programs to move towards longer term sustained management of the disease. It has also urged countries around the world to continue collaborative surveillance to detect significant changes in the virus, as well as trends in disease severity and population immunity.
WHO chief Tedros called for all countries to report Covid-19 data, especially on death and severe disease, genetic sequences and vaccine effectiveness.
“Governments should continue to offer vaccination against the disease, especially for the most at-risk groups, and ensure equitable access to vaccines, tests and treatment,” he said during a press conference in Geneva.
The WHO has also added that all countries should deliver optimal clinical care for Covid-19, including access to proven treatments and measures to protect health workers and caregivers.
The coronavirus first emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and WHO declared the global pandemic the following March. Since then, nearly seven million people have died from Covid-19, and there have been more than 769m confirmed cases worldwide.
What can you do to protect yourself from the new variant?
Vaccination is important for those who are elderly and have weakened immune systems. To prevent oneself from the new variant one must get vaccinated, wear a mask and avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.
