Eris, new sub-variant of Covid-19, spreading rapidly in France
In France, it was announced that the rapid spread of Eris, a sub-variant of Covid-19, across the country may be linked to the summer vacation.
In France, it was stated that the increase in the rate of spread of the sub-variant of Covid-19, Eris may be related to the holiday season. The French Public Health Agency announced that the increase in the number of Eris cases was observed in all regions, but the highest increase was in popular holiday regions, according to French Radio International (RFI).
While there has been an increase in the number of people hospitalized with suspected Covid-19 in France in recent days, the statement said that Covid-19 suspected cases increased by 25 percent in individuals aged 15 to 74 compared to the previous week.
The rate increased by 34 percent in people over 74 years of age and 56 percent in infants under the age of two.
NUMBER OF CASES INCREASED IN HOLIDAY REGIONS
Nouvelle Aquitaine reported the highest number of positive cases, with 789 of the PCR tests performed between July 31 and August 6 testing positive.
730 tested positive in Occitanie, 689 in Ile-de-France, where the capital Paris is located, and 638 in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region.
While it was stated that the gathering of people at festivals and other events in holiday regions to socialize may have triggered the spread of Eris, it was noted that more than a third of the new cases may be linked to Eris, a sub-derivative of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
ERIS CONTINUES TO INFECT
World Health Organization (WHO) published a report on the Eris variant on August 9.
According to the report, there was a steady increase in the prevalence of Eris, which was previously a "variant under observation" and whose status was changed to "variant to be monitored", and over 7,000 samples from 51 countries were shared as of August 7.
Based on the evidence, the public health risk posed by Eris was assessed as "globally low", similar to the risk of other existing Covid-19 variants.
It was also noted that Eris could spread globally and cause an increase in cases depending on its characteristics.
Source: Anadolu Agency
