Rubin reported in the JAMA that the new designation, made as part of an August 9 initial risk evaluation of the omicron type SARS-CoV-2 EG.5 subvariant, reflects its “notable rise” in global prevalence during recent weeks. FDA spokesperson told JAMA that think the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine XBB.1.5 boosters will offer some protection against EG.5, which is after all an XBB offshoot (It’s also known as XBB.1.9.2.5.). In addition, based on the current data, the WHO has classified EG.5′s antibody escape risk as moderate.

On September 15, 2023, at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's COVID-19 Countermeasures Council, it has been reported that the number of people infected with the omicron type SARS-CoV-2 EG.5 subvariant (commonly known as Eris) accounts for more than 40% of all new SARS-CoV-2 infections in Tokyo. Based on the current medical situation in Tokyo, the symptoms of people infected with the omicron type SARS-CoV-5 EG.5 subvariant in Japan have been judged to be mild to moderate. However, compared to the omicron type SARS-CoV-2 XBB subvariant, the Eris subvariant is 1.2 to 1.3 times more infectious, so the number of people infected with the Eris subvariant is rapidly increasing in Tokyo, Japan. As a result, in September 2023, the situation of emergency medical care in Tokyo is dire.

Additionally, on September 7, 2023, a person infected with the omicron type SRAS-CoV-5 BA.2.86 subvariant, commonly known as pyrola subvariant, was reported as the first Japanese person infected with Pyrola subvariant. In Japan, it has been reported that a characteristic of the Pyrola subvariant is that the symptoms of COVID-19 seem to be relatively mild, but there is no further information regarding the Pyrola subvariant. Therefore, medical information such as that reported by Rubin in JAMA is extremely useful for medical professionals working in medical settings in Japan.

We do not have potential conflicts of interest.

Doctor specializing in emerging infectious diseases                                  Doctor specializing in cancer medicine

Published in JAMA on September25, 2023. by kyoto@talumah