A new strain of Covid-19 has been designated as a variant of interest by the World Health Organization (WHO), although the public health risk has been judged as low. 15% of Sequenced Covid-19 Cases in EnglandLast week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published an update that suggested EG.5, or more specifically its subvariant EG5.1, accounts for an estimated 15% of sequenced Covid-19 cases in England. The WHO states that the public health risk posed by EG.5 is evaluated as low at the global level and is on par with other circulating variants of interest. In the UK, EG.5 accounts for an estimated 15% of sequenced Covid-19 cases. The UK Health Security Agency emphasizes the importance of vaccination as the best defense against future waves.

Source: The Guardian August 10, 2023 10:46 UTC