New COVID Variant EG.5 Detected in United States, Raises Concerns Amid Rising Cases

Health authorities in the United States are closely monitoring a newly identified variant of COVID-19 known as EG.5.

The EG.5 variant is responsible for 17 percent of the recent surge in COVID cases across the nation, according to the latest estimates from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This variant is considered a derivative of the XBB recombinant strain of the Omicron variant. In comparison to XBB.1.9.2, the EG.5 variant carries an additional mutation on its spike protein, a characteristic shared with other coronavirus variants previously identified.

However, alongside EG.5, a subvariant has emerged named EG.5.1, which bears a secondary mutation and is reported to exhibit more rapid transmission.