Covid heats up again due to the appearance of a new virus strain

The Ministry of Health requires localities to collect samples and sequence virus genes to detect new nCoV variants early, in the context that WHO has classified the EG.5 strain spreading in many countries as "of concern".

On August 14, the Ministry of Health issued the above directive, adding that localities should proactively monitor and closely follow the epidemic situation in their areas and prepare response plans. The Ministry also recommended that provinces and cities continue to monitor, detect early and promptly handle cases and outbreaks.

This move was made by the Ministry of Health when EG.5, also known as Eris, the new nCoV variant is spreading rapidly in the US and is present in 51 countries such as China, the US, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, Singapore, the UK, France, Portugal, and Spain.

This is a sub-lineage of the Omicron strain, with unknown virulence or vaccine resistance but spreading rapidly. Globally, EG.5 has accounted for 11.6% of infections since mid-July, up 6.2% from a month earlier.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified EG.5 as a variant of concern, requiring countries to continue monitoring it as the number of cases increases. Based on the available evidence, WHO said there is no indication that EG.5 causes more severe symptoms or is more dangerous than other versions of Omicron.

Responding to VnExpress , Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Dac Phu, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine (Ministry of Health), said that Vietnam needs to closely monitor information about the spread and virulence of new variants, including EG.5. At this time, he said that it is still necessary to apply preventive measures such as wearing masks in risky areas, when in contact with people with suspected symptoms, regularly disinfecting hands, and getting vaccinated. Special attention should be paid to protecting high-risk groups, people with underlying diseases, and people with weakened immune systems, by getting vaccinated.

Recently, the number of Covid-19 cases in Vietnam has remained low, under 100 cases/day. On August 14, the country recorded 20 new cases and only one case had to breathe oxygen through a mask. However, the Ministry of Health recommends continuing to proactively take measures to prevent and control the epidemic, not being subjective, negligent, or losing vigilance.

The Omicron strain has been present in the world for 19 months now, currently circulating in most countries and is dominant. This strain is constantly changing. To date, scientists have recorded more than 500 sub-variants of Omicron, all of which have the characteristic of spreading quickly but there is no clear evidence of severe cases.

Le Nga

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