New COVID-19 BA.2.86 strain highly mutated compared to 'Eris': WHO
The newly classified BA.2.86 sub-variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is "highly mutated" compared to the original strain and the newly identified EG.5 or "Eris" strain, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. However, the world body maintained that it needed more data to understand the BA.2.86 variant completely. The WHO further said that it is closely monitoring this sub-variant of COVID-19 and classified it as a "variant under monitoring" due to the large-scale mutations the virus underwent.
Why does this story matter?
According to official estimates, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than 6.9 million people worldwide, with over 768 million confirmed cases since the extremely infectious virus surfaced in November 2019. The WHO officially labeled the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic in March 2020. It declared the new virus's worldwide emergency was over in May. Over the years, the world health body has classified different variants and sub-variants of coronavirus, which have spread severe infection in many countries despite vaccinations.
'New variant's mutation may affect disease severity, vaccine effectiveness'
The WHO is reportedly keeping a close watch on the BA.2.86 COVID-19 variant due to its mutational properties. As the virus continues to evolve, the WHO reportedly emphasized the need for improved surveillance, sequencing, and reporting of COVID-19 cases infected with this variant. While most mutations are said to have minimal impact on the virus's properties, some may affect its transmissibility, disease severity, or the effectiveness of vaccines and other public health measures, the WHO said.
Enhanced surveillance vital for COVID-19 evolution: WHO
Amid growing concerns over the BA.2.86 variant, the WHO said on Friday that it is monitoring three variants of interest (VOIs) along with seven variants. It stressed the importance of enhanced surveillance and reporting efforts to better understand and manage the ongoing evolution of COVID-19. So far, BA.2.86 has been detected in four countries, including the United States (US), Denmark, and Israel.
Eris EG.5: Dominant but manageable strain
The EG.5 strain, on the other hand, has evolved as a dominant strain in nations such as the US and the United Kingdom. Although the WHO classified it as a VOI, it does not appear to represent a larger risk to public health than other strains. The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines VOIs as variations with genetic markers linked with higher transmissibility or virulence and decreased neutralization by antibodies from natural infection or immunization.
EG.5 not more severe than other Omicron variants
Eris is a descendant lineage of the Omicron XBB.1.9.2 subvariant with an extra spike protein mutation compared to its parent subvariant. According to PTI, the WHO also noted that subvariant EG.5.1 had an extra spike mutation and accounts for 88% of the known sequences for Eris and its descendant lineages. The WHO's technical head on coronaviruses, Maria Van Kerkhove, indicated that Eris was more transmissible but not more strong than other Omicron varieties.
Only 11% of ICU admissions, hospitalizations linked to EG.5
China has the most EG.5 sequences (30.6% or 2,247 sequences), with the United States, Canada, South Korea, Japan, Australia, France, Singapore, Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom reporting at least 100 sequences. India recorded one case of Eris from Pune in May this year. Furthermore, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus indicated that just 11% of ICU admissions and hospitalizations were associated with this strain.
