What to Know About EG.5, the Latest SARS-CoV-2 “Variant of Interest”
The Omicron descendant EG.5 is the latest to be labeled a “variant of interest” by the World Health Organization (WHO), joining the current ranks of XBB.1.16 and XBB.1.5. The new designation, made as part of an August 9 initial risk evaluation of the variant, reflects its “notable rise” in global prevalence during recent weeks.
The report comes as the US is experiencing an increase in hospitalizations and deaths and as anticipation mounts for updated vaccines, expected to become available this fall. The EG.5 variant could contribute to a surge in cases, the report noted, although there’s no evidence to date that it causes more severe disease.
For now, the report concludes, the new variant doesn’t seem to pose a greater public health risk than others that are circulating. That said, it cautions that currently, variant surveillance isn’t representative and variant reporting isn’t reliable. These factors are creating data gaps—a barrier to comprehensively evaluating EG.5′s risks.