Covid Surge: Maharashtra reports first case of new Omicron subvariant Eris

Eris or EG.5.1, the new Covid-19 variant that is on the rise in the United Kingdom has also been detected in Maharashtra, leading to an increase in Coronavirus cases in the state, according to a report published by The Times Of India. 

In May this year, the new Omicron variant was first detected. However, it did not cause a severe impact in the past two months. The state health department data stated that Covid cases have increased from 70 to 115 during the time period of around one week, that is, July-end and August 6. 

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), EG.5.1, is the descendant of Omicron. The variant has been nicknamed Eris. It was first classified as a variant in the UK on 31 July. UKHSA has said that the Eris variant makes up one in seven new Covid cases in the UK.

In the week beginning 10 July, approximately 11.8% of UK sequences were identified as Eris, and the latest data indicates that this figure has climbed to a worrisome 14.6% of all cases.

World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised an alarm about the rise in cases of the ‘Eris’ variant. However, it has also been noted that this new variant of Covid-19 is not any more severe than the previous variants.

However, there is no indication that the new variant is any more severe as the latest UKHSA data suggests it now accounts for 14.6 percent of all Covid cases in the country, even as Covid-19 case rates continued to increase.

The five most common symptoms of the Omicron variant are runny nose, headache, fatigue (mild or severe), sneezing, and sore throat. It is recommended that you take your vaccines against the coronavirus and one should avoid crowded areas, or wear a mask if stuck in a place with poor ventilation and physical distancing is not an option.