Eris Covid-19 variant now in SA: WHO flags concern amid rising global infections

The National Department of Health has verified that the first instance of the EG.5 or Eris Covid-19 variant has officially been identified in South Africa. The case has been identified in the Gauteng province. This announcement follows the World Health Organisation’s classification of Eris as the latest variant of concern.

Although the WHO asserts that the variant isn’t a cause for alarm, it’s expected to contribute to a rise in infections. Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations are surging across the US, Europe, and Asia. Eris, a subvariant of the Omicron lineage that emerged in November 2021, exhibits symptoms akin to other Covid-19 variants. It is now the fastest-growing Covid-19 subvariant in the US.