The Ministry of Public Health says the first case of Eris, the new Omicron subvariant, has yet to be detected in the Dominican Republic. The most recent Covid-19 epidemiology weekly bulletin from the Ministry of Public Health reports 490 active Covid-19 cases, yet no hospitalizations.
The World Health Organization says EG.5, the latest Omicron Covid-19 subvariant, is being dubbed Eris, and may spread more easily than past versions of the virus and could evade immunity of first generation vaccines.
Eris was first identified in China in February 2023 and has since spread to over 51 countries.
The United States follows with 1,356 sequences; the Republic of Korea, with 1,040; Japan with 814; Canada with 392 and Australia with 158. Also Singapore with 154; United Kingdom with 150; France with 119; Portugal with 115 and Spain with 107 sequences.
The symptoms of Eris are similar to those of other Covid-19 variants, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat. Some people with Eris may also experience a loss of taste or smell.
There is no specific treatment for Eris. Treatment is supportive and includes rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications to relieve symptoms. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary.
The head of the Epidemiology Department at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Ronald Skewes reports the Ministry is monitoring the situation and making the identifications. The sequencing tests are carried out at the National Public Health Laboratory.
Read more:
New Scientist
Diario Libre
Listin Diario
15 August 2023