New COVID-19 variant ‘Eris’ spreading quickly in UK: Report

A new COVID-19 variant, codenamed Eris and scientifically known as EG.5.1, is spreading across the UK. The variant, which is a sub-variant of Omicron and has been declared by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), now accounts for one in seven new COVID cases in the UK, making it the second most prevalent variant in the country.

The Eris variant, named after the Greek goddess of discord and strife, has seen a significant growth advantage over other strains, with UKHSA chiefs claiming it already has a 20.5 per cent growth advantage. Despite this, experts emphasize that there is currently no evidence to suggest that Eris is more dangerous or causes more severe disease than previous variants.

 “EG.5.1 was first raised as a signal in monitoring on July 3, 2023, as part of horizon scanning due to increasing reports internationally, particularly in Asia,” the UKHSA said. “It was subsequently raised from a signal in monitoring to a variant V-23JUL-01 on July 31, 2023, due to the increasing number of genomes in UK data, and continued growth internationally. Declaring this lineage as a variant will allow further detailed characterisation and analysis,” it said. 

Interestingly, the rise in COVID-19 cases in the UK has been attributed to several factors, including waning immunity from previous vaccinations or infections, increased indoor mixing due to poor weather, and even the release of popular movies such as Barbie and Oppenheimer, which have driven people to cinemas in large numbers.

Despite the increase in cases, hospital admission rates remain relatively low, particularly among younger age groups. However, there has been a small rise in hospital admissions among the elderly, prompting health authorities to closely monitor these rates.

There were 5.4 per cent of 4,396 respiratory specimens reported through the UKHSA’s Respiratory DataMart System as COVID-19, compared to 3.7 per cent of 4,403 from the previous report. 

“We continue to see a rise in COVID-19 cases in this week’s report. We have also seen a small rise in hospital admission rates in most age groups, particularly among the elderly. Overall levels of admission still remain extremely low and we are not currently seeing a similar increase in ICU admissions. We will continue to monitor these rates closely,” said Dr Mary Ramsay, UKHSA’s Head of Immunisation. “

In response to the rising cases, health experts have reiterated the importance of regular hand washing, limiting social contact if symptoms are present, and maintaining good ventilation in indoor spaces. The NHS is also preparing for another booster jab rollout in the autumn of 2023.

While the Eris variant is currently causing concern in the UK, it’s worth noting that the dominant variant nationwide remains XBB.1.16, known as “Arcturus”. This variant, listed by the WHO as a variant under monitoring since March 22, is still the most dominant strain, accounting for 39.4 percent of all cases in the UK.

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