;Resize=(1200,627)&impolicy=perceptual&quality=mediumHigh&hash=d5a075382099bc66e0fe7fd594a87c9c138fc2e15ce2afc7771c4d17ba258567 "More Covid patients in the clinic – “Eris” causes more cases in two countries")
“Eris” – the goddess of strife, chaos and discord. The corona variant EG.5.1, which the World Health Organization classified as “of interest” a few days ago, bears this nickname.
The Robert Koch Institute has not yet reported any official cases. Epidemiologist Timo Ulrichs nevertheless believes that “Eris” is already spreading in this country. He told FOCUS online that he thinks it is “very likely” that “Eris” has already appeared in Germany. “We hardly test anymore,” he explained. “And even less is sequenced, so we only have a very limited view of the infection process and the presence of the variants and subvariants of the virus here in Germany.”
Probably more than 800,000 cases in Great Britain
In other countries, “Eris” is already leading to an increase in corona numbers – and also in hospital stays. British media, for example, report “allegedly more than 800,000 cases” with the new virus strain. Over 200,000 people are said to have been newly infected in the last month. Every seventh case across the country is now being traced back to the new Eris variant, writes the “Mirror”.
Great Britain is already noticing a slight increase in hospital stays. Although still at a low level – this is “closely monitored”, said Mary Ramsay, head of the immunization department of the British health authority Health Security Agency the “Mirror”. The cases in the intensive care units have not increased so far.
The development in the United Kingdom is also interesting for Germany because the United Kingdom has often provided a kind of preview for the course of the pandemic in this country in recent years. Many variants were initially detected or tested there, and the increase in cases was also noticeable in Germany a few weeks later.
Mallorca also reports an increase in hospital stays
But not only Great Britain is currently noticing how “Eris” is spreading. “The number of corona patients in the hospitals in Mallorca is increasing again significantly,” is the headline in the “Mallorca-Zeitung”. The authorities are aware of around 700 infections. 45 of them in the hospital. Three in intensive care.
A month earlier there were almost 330 cases. “However, for some time now only the infections of people who belong to risk groups have been counted,” writes the newspaper. Accordingly, the number of unreported cases could be many times higher.
What does this mean for autumn?
Reason for concern – especially with a view to the approaching autumn? Experts are not yet alarmed – but call for caution. Because so far it is not known whether “Eris” is more pathogenic than previous variants.
“It will certainly not be as dramatic as in the first waves,” said epidemiologist Urlichs. He cites the meanwhile good basic immunity in the population as the reason. But he warns: ” Members of risk groups should get a booster vaccination in good time before autumn.”
“RTL” also said physician Christoph Specht that it was “clear from the start that the corona virus will remain and will join the existing viral diseases”. The general population does not have to worry at this point in time. He sees no evidence that “Eris” would be classified as dangerous.
And British experts have also remained calm so far. As Christina Pagel, professor of operational research at University College London, told the Guardian, the variant is becoming more and more common. And also be able to evade the immune system. However, there is no evidence that it causes more serious diseases.