#omicron subvariant

[aajkesamachar2026]

कोरोना वायरस JN.1: भारत और विश्व में 2025 में फिर बढ़े मामले, जानें इस वैरिएंट के बारे पूरी डिटेल #News #RightNews #HindiNews

कोरोना वायरस JN.1: भारत और विश्व में 2025 में फिर बढ़े मामले, जानें इस वैरिएंट के बारे पूरी डिटेल

[exampurnaukariadda]

COVID-19: India Logs 441 Fresh Infections As Active Cases See Dip

The Union Health Ministry confirmed on Saturday that 441 new COVID-19 infections have been reported in India, while the number of active cases has dropped to 3,238. The ministry’s statistics, updated at 8 am, shows that no deaths were reported in a 24-hour period. The number of daily cases was in double digits till December 5. However, with the arrival of a new COVID-19 variety, JN.1, and the…

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What to Know About ‘Eris,’ the Latest COVID Variant

Experts stress the importance of treatments and vaccines as infections increase

By Rachel Nania

Published August 10, 2023

After many months of declining numbers, COVID-19 cases are again increasing in the U.S., and so is the presence of what’s being called Eris (officially EG.5), a new version of the coronavirus that recently eclipsed the former top runner, Arcturus (XBB.1.16).

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows EG.5 accounts for 17.3 percent of COVID infections, while XBB.1.16 is responsible for 15.6 percent of cases. An alphabet soup of other omicron variant spinoffs make up the rest of current infections.

The newfound dominance of Eris “raises the point that this virus continues to circulate, and it continues to change,” the World Health Organization’s Maria Van Kerkhove said at a July news conference.

The good news, though, is that the precautions we relied on during the pandemic — such as frequent handwashing, wearing masks and avoiding crowded indoor spaces — still work. And experts say people at higher risk of complications from COVID, such as those with compromised immune systems, may want to consider reinstating some of them. Additionally, a new round of COVID-19 vaccines designed to combat these latest variants should be available this fall.

Eris was first detected in February and has since been tracked in 51 countries, according to an Aug. 9 report from WHO. And its global prevalence is increasing, the WHO notes. In mid-June, it was to blame for about 7.6 percent of global COVID cases; by mid-July, that share jumped to 17.4 percent.

Despite this latest subvariant’s growth advantage over its predecessors, experts say so far Eris doesn’t appear to make people sicker than its sibling strains.

Officials do note, however, that the subvariant’s characteristics may cause a rise in cases. And while we can’t say with certainty that Eris is behind the bump in cases in the U.S., “there’s a reasonable likelihood that the slight increase that we’re seeing in COVID activity is very possibly related to the coincidental finding of a new variant that is starting to become the predominant one,” says Steven J. Lawrence, M.D., professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Reduce your risk of illness — and more variants

With Eris in the news and COVID cases on the rise, experts say it’s a good reminder that the virus has not gone away — and in fact, Lawrence predicts we’ll see even more activity as we head into the fall and winter months, when respiratory viruses tend to circulate at higher levels. But there are things you can do to lower your odds of getting sick from COVID.

“We have a lot of experience that masking is effective,” says Graham Snyder, M.D., an associate professor of infectious diseases at University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and medical director of infection prevention and hospital epidemiology at UPMC. “So if you are vulnerable because of a weak immune system or medical conditions, masking is still a way to keep yourself protected from being exposed to the virus in the first place.”

Avoiding large crowds indoors can also reduce your risk of infection. And don’t forget to test yourself if you’re feeling sick. “I still think it's important if you have a respiratory infection not to necessarily just write it off as a head cold," says Snyder, who adds that COVID symptoms caused by Eris seem to be in line with previous omicron strains.

If you test positive for COVID, you may be eligible for an oral treatment, like Paxlovid, that can significantly lessen the severity of the illness and reduce your risk of hospitalization. “I strongly recommend that anybody over 60, 65 who has COVID gets treated,” says Lawrence, who adds that Paxlovid and a similar pill called molnupiravir are still effective against the latest coronavirus variants, including Eris.

Most important, however, is to get vaccinated and to stay up to date on your shots. Everyone 6 months and older is eligible for a bivalent booster; adults 65 and older can go back for a second shot. A new vaccine that better targets the strains of omicron currently circulating will be available in the fall, health officials say, though it’s not clear exactly when. “And that’s something that honestly everybody should get,” Lawrence says, stressing its importance for people 50 and older.

Curious if you should boost now, with cases picking up, or wait for the new shot? Both Lawrence and Snyder say talk to your doctor about the best choice for your health status.

Not only will these measures help protect you, but some of them can help cut down on the overall transmission of the virus, which can help prevent more — and potentially more dangerous — variants from popping up in the future.

“The more [the virus] circulates, the more opportunity that it has to change,” the WHO’s Van Kerkhove says. “What our worry is, is that we could potentially see new variants that could be more severe and that’s something we have to keep an eye out for because we need to be keeping people well protected. With good surveillance, with good clinical care, with high levels of boosting, of vaccination among people who are most at risk, we can keep that impact low.”

Rachel Nania writes about health care and health policy for AARP. Previously she was a reporter and editor for WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C. A recipient of a Gracie Award and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, she also participated in a dementia fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

Everything to know about the new COVID variant Eris—and tools to protect yourself

The new COVID variant Eris is on the rise. Here's everything you need to know about it and how to protect yourself from it.

Masks

Wearing a quality mask that blocks ingestion of COVID-19 molecules remains the most effective way to protect yourself from the virus. N95 masks filter 95% of airborne particles, including the ones responsible for the transmission of COVID-19. When buying these masks off the web, make sure to verify that they're legitimate, as there are many fakes out there.

Hand sanitizer

COVID-19 can spread when you touch your mouth, nose or eyes after coming in contact with a surface contaminated by viral droplets. Therefore, another way to keep yourself safe from Eris is to diligently wash your hands using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Disinfectant wipes

You can also opt to decontaminate surfaces by using a disinfectant wipe. Consider wiping down surfaces that are touched often such as doorknobs, remote controls and light switches.

An air purifier

An air purifier can remove harmful air particles from your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this includes COVID-19 particles by way of using HEPA filters. Fortunately, the best air purifier we've tested, the Blueair Blue Pure 311i Max, has a quality HEPA filter. Not only does this purifier boast excellent filtering, but it's quiet, simple to use and has a washable filter.

[cognitiveinequality]

The BA.5 COVID Surge Is Here

The worrisome Omicron subvariant, which is better at reinfecting people than any other, is rapidly gaining ground in the U.S.

Reminder that this shit is still evolving.... 😩

Wear your mask inside public places or anywhere it’s crowded, preferably an N95 or KN95.

[gwydionmisha]

CDC: New Omicron Subvariant Takes Over as Dominant Coronavirus Strain

The U.S. is averaging over 100,000 new coronavirus infections each day.

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Omicron splinters into fast-spreading lineages, highlighting coronavirus's evolution

A burgeoning form of Omicron, called BA.2.12.1 — itself a sublineage of the BA.2 branch — now accounts for nearly one in five cases of Covid-19 in the U.S.

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As Omicron fades, hopes the Covid-19 pandemic is over may be premature

Epidemiologists caution that falling case numbers could signal a plateau before another troublesome variant emerges