The coronavirus pandemic was one of the most difficult times in human history, claiming several lives and impacting millions both physically and mentally. Although we’re past the worst phase of the pandemic, the SARs-CoV-2 virus continues to infect people; it is constantly mutating and up until now, multiple new COVID variants have emerged – Pirola or BA.2.86 being the most recent strain.
In this article, we will discuss some of the latest COVID-19 variants and what global health agencies and experts have to say about them.
Pirola COVID Strain
The newly detected COVID variant BA.2.86, nicknamed Pirola, is said to be a highly mutated COVID variant. It originated in Israel and Denmark and has rapidly spread to several other countries, including the UK, US, South Africa, Canada, and more.
Also Read: New COVID Variant Eris Detected In Maharashtra: Preventive Steps To Take Amid Rising Cases
Currently, the WHO has classified Pirola as a “variant under monitoring” due to its potential to be highly contagious.
According to the CDC, this new variant may also have the potential to cause breakthrough infection, where people still get infected with the virus despite being fully vaccinated. The US Health Body released a risk assessment, which read, ““BA.2.86 may be more capable of causing infection in people who have previously had COVID-19 or who have received COVID-19 vaccines.”
Eris COVID Variant
One of the newest variants wreaking havoc globally is the Eris strain, a descendant of Omicron, also known as EG.5. It gets its name from the Greek goddess of strife and discord.
It was first detected by the World Health Organization (WHO) in February 2023 and was declared ‘Variant of Interest’ (VoI).
Eris variant is now the most dominant strains in the United States and is the second most prevalent strain in the United Kingdom after Arcturus. According to an updated data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Eris was responsible for more than 1 in 5 new infections in recent weeks.
The EG.5 strain was responsible for one in seven new cases in the UK during the third week of July, says the UK Health Security Agency.
Certain states in India have also reported cases of the Eris Variant. According to the Gujarat Biological Research Centre (GBRC), two cases of Eris strain have been detected in Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
Fornax COVID Strain
The FL.1.5.1, dubbed Fornax, is the second largest variant in the US, accounting for 13.3% of COVID infections in the country, as per the CDC estimates. Reportedly, this variant was the fifth most prevalent variant at the beginning of August, accounting for only 7.1 percent of cases.
Both EG.5 and FL.1.5.1 are sub-strains of the Omicron variant or XBB variant. The two share a mutation known as F456L which, according to CBS News, is driving the current spread of the virus.
Also Read: Pirola Or BA.2.86 Spreading Rapidly: Can This Highly Mutated COVID Variant Cause The Fourth Wave?
Arcturus COVID Variant
The Arcturus variant, also known as XBB.1.16, was first identified in a sample from January and has now been reported in 29 countries, according to the WHO. It was designated a “variant under monitoring” on March 22, meaning that the strain has genetic changes which could give it a a possible “growth advantage” over other variants.
It accounted for 0.21 percent of cases around the world in late February. In March, it had gone up to 3.96 percent, the global health body shares.
The CDC estimates suggest that the variant accounted for 7.2 percent of coronavirus infections for the week ending April 15.
Should You Be Worried?
Dr Rajkumar, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi, says, “While the emergence of new COVID variants does warrant vigilance, undue worry can be mitigated through informed measures. The Eris variant, like other variants, underscores the virus’s adaptability. However, our current understanding suggests that existing vaccines continue to offer significant protection against severe illness and hospitalisation.
Dr Shrey Srivastav, Assistant Professor-Internal medicine, Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, says, “BA 2.86 (Pirola) is said to be highly mutated and this strain has some new symptoms associated with it like rashes, eye redness, diarrhoea,” adding that the Eris infections present with more old symptoms like fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, loss of taste and smell, and sore throat.
Dr Srivastav is of the opinion that vaccines may show a slight down slope due to the mutating strains but he suggests that they still remain an effective defence against the virus.
According to him, a fourth wave of COVID-19 is “least likely” and there is no need to panic against new variants. He further advises to keep an eye out for symptoms.
Dr Rajkumar concludes, “As the situation evolves, public health surveillance, genomic sequencing, and proactive measures will help us navigate the landscape, assuring that our collective efforts continue to mitigate the impact of emerging variants.”
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