EG.5 Variant Becomes Most Prevalent Strain in the United States, CDC Reports
In a significant and concerning development, the EG.5 variant has now become the most prevalent strain of COVID-19 in the United States, according to the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of Friday, the CDC projected that 17.3% of COVID-19 cases nationwide were caused by the EG.5 variant, surpassing all other variants.
Alongside the EG.5 variant, other common variants identified include XBB.1.16 at 15.6%, XBB.2.23 at 11.2%, and XBB.1.5 at 10.3%. However, one variant that has gained attention is the FL.1.5.1 variant, a spinoff of the XBB strain, accounting for 8.6% of new cases.
Of particular concern is the EG.5.1 subgroup of variants, dubbed “Eris” on social media. Experts believe that EG.5 is one of the fastest-growing COVID-19 lineages worldwide, potentially due to a slightly beneficial mutation.
As a result of the dominance of these variants, fall’s COVID-19 vaccines will be redesigned to offer protection against them. It is crucial to continue surveillance and sequencing of the virus to understand any changes that may impact its spread and severity.
However, the CDC’s ability to track variants has become more challenging due to a decrease in the number of available sequences for analysis. To ensure more accurate projections, the CDC has slowed its variant estimates from weekly to biweekly, aiming to gather larger sample sizes.
Unfortunately, limited sequences have hindered the agency’s ability to publish “Nowcast” projections for EG.5 and other variants in every region. Currently, only California, Georgia, and New York have provided enough sequences for updated estimates. This limited data poses a significant challenge in predicting the future impact of these variants.
In conclusion, the EG.5 variant has emerged as the most prevalent strain of COVID-19 in the United States, raising concerns among health officials. Efforts are underway to track and understand these variants, as well as to redesign vaccines to combat their spread. However, the decrease in available sequences hinders accurate predictions, emphasizing the need for continued surveillance and sequencing of the virus.
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