A new variant of Covid-19, named EG.5.1 or Eris, is spreading rapidly in the United Kingdom, as reported by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (Ukhsa). This variant, first detected in February and classified as a variant on July 31st, already accounts for one in seven new cases in the country.

Although the main symptoms are similar to those of conventional Covid-19, such as sore throat, congestion, sneezing, and loss of smell, the Ukhsa has activated surveillance due to the increasing number of cases and hospitalizations. This has led to an increase from 3.7% to 5.4% in the infected population within a week, and from 1.17 to 1.97 hospital admissions per 100,000 people.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also detected this new variant, and its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warns that despite the protection provided by vaccines and previous infections, countries must not let their guard down against the spread of Eris.

Although no evidence has been found that this variant is more severe, its rapid spread has caught the attention of health authorities. The Ukhsa is monitoring it internationally and has emphasized the importance of maintaining preventive measures to curb the variant's spread and avoid a significant increase in cases and hospitalizations.