Russian health officials have identified 17 cases of infection with a new variant of the coronavirus, called EG.5 or “Eris,” from April to August. The cases were found in Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg, and the Republic of Tatarstan, Turanews.kz reports.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has added the Eris variant to its list of variants under surveillance. The WHO says that the Eris variant has been found in 51 countries, and that it is spreading more quickly than previous variants.
The WHO also says that the Eris variant is more likely to evade the body’s immune system than previous variants. However, the WHO says that there is no evidence that the Eris variant causes more severe illness than previous variants.
The symptoms of the Eris variant are the same as the symptoms of other COVID-19 variants, including cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat, and shortness of breath. However, in immunocompromised people and some susceptible individuals, the Eris variant can lead to more severe consequences.
Russian officials say that the Eris variant has not yet become widespread in the country, but that there are risks of complicating the epidemiological situation with COVID-19 associated with its spread. They are urging people to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, and to wear masks in public places.
