2023-11-04 19:03:17
Die World Health Organization WHO has upgraded the new mutation of the coronavirus EG.5. The variant called “Eris” is now one of the “virus variants of interest.”
This makes Eris one of three variants that are under increased observation by the WHO. These also include the XBB.1.5 variant, which is widespread in Europe and the American continent – and the XBB.1.16 variant, which is particularly common in Asia.
How dangerous is Eris aka EG.5?
As WHO corona expert Maria Van Kerkhove explained on Wednesday (August 9, 2023) in Geneva, no more severe disease progression was observed with Eris, but lower vaccination protection than with other virus variants.
This could be due, among other things, to the fact that EG.5 is a descendant of XBB.1.9.2, also called “Arkturus”. This is provided with an additional spike mutation, which most likely helps the virus to escape the immune response via immune escape. The genetics of the virus could theoretically have an impact on and increase its transmissibility. But there is not yet enough evidence for this.
What does spike mutation, immune response and immune escape mean? Spike mutation
…refers to the spike protein that is responsible for entry into the host cell of a virus. Many very effective vaccines use only the spike protein as the vaccine antigen. However, a mutation of the spike protein can affect the effectiveness of a vaccination and the immune response it induces.
Immune response
… is also called the immune reaction and describes the reaction of the immune system to potentially harmful influences – for example viruses.
Immune Escape
… also known in German as immune escape, is a process in which viruses use mutation or specific mechanisms to avoid detection or defense by the immune system.
WHO gives the all-clear for Eris
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the current findings from EG.5 only pose a “low risk to public health on a global level”. However, due to the growth advantage of Eris and its immune escape properties, the variant is estimated to cause an increase in the number of cases and therefore become the dominant variant worldwide.
The share of EG.5 in all detected SARS-CoV-2 variants worldwide increased in a total of 51 countries within four weeks – from 7.6 percent to 17.6 percent. Most evidence of the variant comes from China, the USA and Korea.
New infections and deaths have fallen
According to the WHO, since the global coronavirus health emergency was declared over three months ago, new infections and deaths have continued to decline. However, the data situation has also deteriorated at the same time.
Only a quarter of all countries provided death figures to the WHO in July – and only 11 percent passed on figures for serious cases.
Who should get vaccinated now?
Even if severe cases are unlikely to occur with the new variant, the STIKO still recommends getting vaccinated. Above all, to avoid possible long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infections and to protect employees in medical and nursing care.
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