A New Strain of the New Crown has Emerged! “Sanyang” is Here? Latest Research
Recently, infection cases of the new coronavirus variant strain EG.5 have been on the rise in many parts of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has now listed EG.5 as a variant to watch out for.
According to a Reuters report, the WHO announced on the 9th local time that the new coronavirus variant EG.5 was listed as a variant that “needs attention”. The organization is closely tracking several new coronavirus variants, including EG.5, which is currently circulating in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s technical chief for COVID-19, stated that EG.5 has increased spread but not more than other Omicron variants. The WHO has categorized mutant strains into three categories: under surveillance, needing attention, and variants that require monitoring, based on their transmission ability and mutation ability.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the risk of more dangerous variants emerging, which could lead to sudden increases in cases and deaths.
In other news, there has been a trending search for “Sanyang,” with netizens claiming to be “three yangs.” The term refers to individuals who have experienced multiple infections of COVID-19 in a short period of time. However, according to Wang Xinyu, deputy director of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Huashan Hospital, such cases are relatively rare, and most patients who experience repeat infections are relatively mild.
What is EG.5? Where does it spread? EG.5 is the “descendant” of the new coronavirus Omicronya variant strain XBB.1.9.2. It was first discovered on February 17 this year. The virus has similar characteristics to XBB.1.5 and other Omicron variants in terms of entering cells and tissues in the human body. Netizens have named the mutant strain “Eris,” but this name has not been officially recognized by the WHO.
Since July, EG.5 has caused an increasing number of new crown infections. As of August 7, 7,354 EG.5 gene sequences from 51 countries have been uploaded to the “Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data” (GISAID), including the United States, South Korea, Japan, Canada, and several European countries.
While EG.5.1 accounts for about one in seven detected COVID-19 cases in the UK, EG.5 has been circulating in the US since April and currently accounts for about 17% of new infections there. However, according to the CDC, currently available vaccines and treatments are still expected to be effective against these variants.
Mandy Cohen, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that the vaccine updated in September will provide protection against EG.5, and the new variant does not represent a major shift.
The HSA emphasized the importance of vaccination as the best defense against future COVID-19 outbreaks. It is crucial for people to get all eligible vaccines as soon as possible.
Sources:
– Comprehensive Science and Technology Daily of China News Network (Reporter Zhang Jiaxin)
– CCTV News Client
– CNR
– Yangcheng Evening News
– Yangcheng School
– People’s Daily
– News Square