Middle East

Kuwait detects first case of new EG.5 COVID variant

The ministry urged people to continue taking steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Kuwait: The Kuwait’s Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday that it detected the first case of EG.5, a new COVID variant, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

ADVERTISEMENT

The ministry noted that the “expected” detection was not “alarming”, as the mutant bug was spotted in 51 countries including the United States, China, South Korea and Japan.

The ministry’s statement further highlighted that the country’s epidemiological indicators show stability.

ADVERTISEMENT

The ministry also urged people to continue to adhere to prevention guidelines, such as wearing masks, social distancing and vaccination.

About EG.5

EG.5, also known as Eris, is a sublineage of the omicron variant.

On Wednesday, August 9, the World Health Organisation announced the emergence of a new sub-mutation of “COVID” called “EG.5”, and urged countries to monitor infections in this new form that is spreading around the world.

The symptoms of EG.5 are similar to those of other COVID-19 variants, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat. Some people with Eris may also experience a loss of taste or smell.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

This post was last modified on August 16, 2023 9:04 pm

Share
Sakina Fatima

Sakina Fatima, a digital journalist with Siasat.com, has a master's degree in business administration and is a graduate in mass communication and journalism. Sakina covers topics from the Middle East, with a leaning towards human interest issues.

Load more...