New Covid Variant EG.5, Or ‘Eris,’ Among Fastest-Spreading So Far
News outlets report on the rapid spread of a new covid variant labeled EG.5, unofficially known as "Eris," which may be among the fastest-spreading yet due to a mutation. Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune notes covid cases are ticking up as summer comes to an end, and The Washington Post explains why it may be hard to find covid tests.
CBS News:
CDC Says COVID Variant EG.5 Is Now Dominant, Including Strain Some Call "Eris"
EG.5 includes a strain with a subgroup of variants designated as EG.5.1, which a biology professor, T. Ryan Gregory, nicknamed "Eris" — an unofficial name that began trending on social media. Experts say EG.5 is one of the fastest growing lineages worldwide, thanks to what might be a "slightly beneficial mutation" that is helping it outcompete some of its siblings. (Tin, 8/7)
USA Today:
COVID Eris, The Variant Dominating US, UK Cases Has Familiar Symptoms
The World Health Organization (WHO) has its eyes on yet another new COVID-19 variant that has been linked to a spike in hospitalizations overseas. EG.5.1, nicknamed Eris, was added to the WHO SARS-CoV-2 variant monitoring list and has quickly become prevalent in both the U.K. and U.S. As of July 20, Eris is the second most common variant infecting people in the U.K., accounting for roughly 14.55% of cases and growing at a rate of 20.51% per week, according to The U.K. Health Security Agency (UKHSA). It trails behind fellow Omicron subvariant Arcturus, or XBB.1.16, at 41.82% of U.S. cases. (Walrath-Holdridge, 8/7)
Chicago Tribune:
COVID-19 Cases Tick Up Slightly As Summer Winds Down
The numbers of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the Chicago area have been slowly creeping upward as summer winds down, following a national trend and reminding people that COVID-19 is still lurking, even if it’s no longer top-of-mind. In Chicago, laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were up 27%, to 67 new cases a day, on average, as of July 28, compared with the previous week, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health. (Schencker and Arougheti, 8/7)
The Washington Post:
A Covid Uptick Is Here. Good Luck Finding A Free Test
The United States is experiencing a bump in coronavirus transmission for the first time since the public health emergency ended in May, exposing the challenges of avoiding the virus when free testing is no longer widely accessible. The Biden administration stopped mailing test kits to households in June. The ones Americans stockpiled over the last year and a half are expiring. Major insurers no longer pay for over-the-counter tests once the requirement to do so ended with the emergency declaration. (Nirappil, 8/7)
