According to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, Covid-19 hospitalizations increased 18.8 percent between August 13 and August 19 in the United States. They have been steadily rising since July 1. And, in the previous week, there has been a 19 percent increase in the number of sites reporting the highest amounts of SARS-CoV-2 ever in sewage wastewater.
All of this is to say that Covid-19 appears to be making a comeback. Furthermore, the summer and fall spike coincides with the emergence of a new dominant form of the virus in the United States. It's known as EG.5 (Eris), and the CDC believes it's responsible for 20.6 percent of current Covid-19 infections in the country. And the prevalence of EG.5 (Eris) has climbed 12.7 percent since the beginning of July.
It's hardly the only variety making headlines. The FL.1.5.1 (Fornax) variety is the second most common. This variety was the fifth most common at the start of August, accounting for only 7.1 percent of cases. It now accounts for 13.3 percent of all cases.
Eris and Fornax are both descended from the omicron variety, which produced a massive epidemic in late 2021 and early 2022. On August 9, the World Health Organization (WHO) elevated EG.5 (Eris) from "under monitoring" to "interest," indicating that Eris may constitute an "increased risk to global public health."
Experts believe that the new variation is worth monitoring, however, aren’t providing a clear picture as to how alarmed we should be. A new Covid-19 type obviously makes a virus-ravaged country nervous, yet in comparison to the previous three summers, Covid-19's impact on the US healthcare system has been minimal. As of now, if people follow up with prevention efforts, they should be able to stay safe, according to health specialists.
What is the severity and contagiousness of EG.5 (Eris)?
The symptoms of EG.5 (Eris) do not appear to differ much from those of other omicron subvariants. Cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, exhaustion, body aches, loss of taste or smell, and headaches are common symptoms of infection.
According to the WHO, EG.5 (Eris) is not causing more cases or deaths than its predecessor, the XBB strain of omicron. However, EG.5 (Eris) and FL.1.5.1 (Fornax) appear to be better capable of beating our immune systems due to a mutation known as the F456L mutation.
All of the Covid-19 preventive strategies remain in effect. According to specialists, the same groups are most at risk for serious infection: older persons, those with impaired immune systems, and those with chronic conditions. Wearing an N-95 mask, maintaining social distancing in public places, and staying up to date on vaccines and boosters are all recommended.