COVID-19: All You Need to Know About EG.5.1 — The UK-Hitting Omicron Sub-Variant Already Present in India

By TWC India Edit Team

3 hours ago TWC India

Representational image(TOI/BCCL)

Like a vengeful little factory, the COVID-causing Omicron variant has been pushing out new sub-variants since it first emerged in 2022. And its latest product, the EG.5.1 or ‘Eris’, has already been detected in at least 45 countries, including India.

Reports of a new Omicron XBB sub-strain spreading rapidly in the UK came to light recently. Responsible for 1 in 7 COVID-19 cases in the country, the sub-variant accounts for nearly 15% of cases. This makes it the second most prevalent COVID strain in the UK.

The EG.5.1’s speed of transmission is roughly 45% faster than XBB.1.16, the Arcturus subvariant that began spreading earlier this year.

Further, WHO’s latest weekly epidemiological report also went on to suggest that the EG.5.1 was showing an increasing trend, prompting the agency to add this sub-variant to the list of variants under monitoring in July.

Despite its rapid spread, experts have confirmed that the trajectory of infections caused by the new EG.5.1 suggests that there is no need to panic.

But what is perhaps most perplexing is that EG.5.1 was detected in India months ago!

Dr Rajesh Karyakarte, Maharashtra’s coordinator for genome sequencing and a senior scientist with Pune’s BJ Medical College told the Times of India that the EG.5.1 was detected in Maharashtra as early as May.

However, with no significant surge in the number of COVID cases in June and July, the sub-variant seems to have failed to leave an impression in our country. And the XBB.1.16 and XBB.2.3 continue dominating still.

Meanwhile, hospitals in many parts of the country have reportedly seen an uptick in the number of patients with flu-like symptoms of late. While catching viral infections is nothing out of the ordinary during the rainy season, we have reasons to not dismiss these as any banal illness.

Experts recommend watching out for any signs of COVID and consulting your healthcare provider accordingly. As with Omicron, the most common symptoms of EG.5.1 include runny nose, headache, fatigue (mild or severe), sneezing and sore throat.

Following COVID safety protocol in the form of usage of masks in public spaces and frequent hand sanitisation is also advisable.

(With inputs from IANS and TOI)