In the United Kingdom, health authorities have raised alarms about the significant spread of a new COVID-19 variant named Eris (EG.1.5), which has emerged from the Omicron strain. The variant’s rapid expansion now accounts for a staggering 14.6% of all COVID-19 cases in the region, solidifying its position as the second most prevalent form of the virus, as per official data released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Initially flagged as a potential concern on July 3, 2023, the EG.1.5 variant has witnessed a meteoric rise in cases, both domestically and internationally, especially in Asia. The UKHSA upgraded it from a signal to a designated variant (V-23JUL-01) on July 31, 2023, owing to the increasing number of genomes detected in UK data and its continuous global expansion. The data collected since the week of July 10 has been particularly alarming, with one in every nine cases attributed to the EG.1.5 variant.
The latest figures show that its prevalence has now surged to 14.6%, overtaking other variants and becoming the second most widespread form of COVID-19 in the UK. This rapid spread is suspected to be a major factor behind the recent surge in cases and hospitalizations, as reported by Sky News. COVID-19 surveillance data up to the end of week 30 has revealed a concerning trend, with a continued rise in case rates compared to the previous report. Among 4,396 respiratory specimens tested in the Respiratory DataMart System, 5.4% were positive for COVID-19, marking an increase from the 3.7% reported earlier, according to the UKHSA.
Hospital admission rates for COVID-19 have also shown a worrisome increase in week 30, rising to 1.97 per 100,000 population from the previous report’s 1.17 per 100,000. However, there was a slight decrease in ICU admission rates, dropping to 0.05 from 0.07 in the previous report. The elderly population, particularly those aged 85 years and above, faced higher hospital admission rates, which escalated to 20.49 per 100,000 from the previous report’s 9.8 per 100,000. Similarly, individuals aged 75 to 84 years saw their admission rates rise to 9.45 per 100,000 from 5.54.
Dr. Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at the UKHSA, expressed concern over the rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalization rates. Despite overall admission levels remaining low and ICU admissions not experiencing a similar surge, health authorities are closely monitoring the situation to address potential risks. As the Eris (EG.1.5) variant continues to proliferate and its impact on hospitalizations becomes more evident, UK health authorities are gearing up to tackle this new challenge in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Vigilant monitoring and swift response measures will be crucial to curb the variant’s spread and protect public health.