UK health authorities are on high alert as a result of the rapid spread of Covid-19 sub-variant EG.5.1 (Eris), which has prompted a WHO warning. UKHSA, cited by India Today, states that 1 in 7 brand-new COVID cases are caused by the Eris sub-variant.

The UKHSA said in a report said -

“COVID-19 case rates continued to increase this week compared to our previous report. 5.4% of 4,396 respiratory specimens reported through the Respiratory DataMart System were identified as COVID-19. This is compared to 3.7% of 4,403 from the previous report.”

“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 report further added -

“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 characterization and analysis.”

Health agency experts note minimal hospitalizations. The UK is paying close attention to this situation and suggests taking Covid precautions to stay safe.

The Head of Immunization at UKHSA, Dr. Mary Ramsay, stated -

"We continue to see an increase in COVID-19 cases in this week's report. In addition, hospital admission rates have slightly increased across the board, especially for 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.”

She added -

“Regular and thorough hand washing helps protect you from COVID-19 and other bugs and viruses. If you have symptoms of a respiratory illness, we recommend staying away from others where possible.”

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director General, emphasizes tracking virus, trusting vaccines, and warns against complacency in countries and individuals.