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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)
The new variant of Covid-19, nicknamed Eris, is now the majority in France. What are the symptoms of this new variant? Should we be worried about this return of the Covid? We take stock with Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director.
For several days, health authorities have reported a slight increase in hospitalizations for suspected Covid-19. An effect confirmed by Public Health France which published in its last bulletin on August 2: “In all age groups and especially in adults, there is an increase in passages, in small numbers, for suspected infection with COVID-19 (+26% or +149 passages)”.
Eris, new majority variant in France
The slight increase would be due to a new variant, nicknamed Eris, from the EG.5 strain. According to the Pasteur Institute, it would now be the majority with a presence in 35% of the analyses, more than the other variants. A similar situation affects the United Kingdom and the United States. Nothing indicates for the moment that its severity is greater than the previous strains, nor that it is capable of escaping the immunity acquired whether by a previous contamination or even by the vaccine. But vigilance is essential. The World Health Organization indicates that it is closely monitoring its evolution, while this variant circulates well before the fall.
Here’s the latest variant picture for France.
The new EG.5.* “Eris” variant (34%) has been rising quite rapidly during July, and is now dominant over XBB.1.9.* “Hyperion” (22%), XBB.1.16.* “Arcturus” ( 14%) and XBB.1.5.* “Kraken” (14%).
More details:https://t.co/9wVn5KDCmN pic.twitter.com/u0AOISy8Ck
— Mike Honey (@Mike_Honey_) August 6, 2023
the 10 symptoms of the new Eris variant
On the clinical side, no particular seriousness is to be reported for the moment. The symptoms are similar to the previous variants. According to initial findings, there are ten of them:
- Sore throat ;
- Runny nose ;
- Stuffy nose ;
- Dry cough ;
- Loose cough;
- Headache ;
- Hoarsely ;
- Sneezing;
- Muscle aches ;
- Loss of smell.
Symptoms similar to those Omicron, with a small variation: shortness of breath and fever would no longer be part of it.
Should we be worried about the new Eris variant? The opinion of Dr Gérad Kierzek, medical director of Doctissimo
“The appearance of a new variant is simply the natural life of a virus. Eris is a variant that is neither more virulent nor more contagious than the others. The only question that arises today is that of vaccine escape Is the vaccine still effective against severe forms?Otherwise, this variant is like the most recent more likely to attack the upper airways (throat, nose), and does not penetrate the lungs in the vast majority cases. Only the people most at risk, the oldest or the immunocompromised are really to be protected. The basic barrier measures are to be kept”.