The Ministry of Public Health is closely monitoring the epidemiological situation in relation to the new COVID-19 sub-variants. Earlier this month, the World Health Organization declared the new sub-variant of COVID-19, called EG.5, a variant of interest. The sub-variant is an offshoot of the highly contagious Omicron variant and has to date been reported in more than 50 countries, including the Gulf region.
In addition to EG.5, another variant, BA.2.86 has been reported in several countries including the USA, England, and Denmark and this virus is significant because it has multiple genetic differences from previous versions of the virus. However, there is no evidence so far of increased spread or hospitalizations in those countries, but more data is being accumulated. Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health continues to monitor the situation and test samples in the country for this new variant.
According to the WHO, there is no evidence that the new sub-variants cause more severe symptoms and illness than Omicron or other variants in circulation. However, due to the speed at which the new sub-variant can transmit from person to person, the Ministry stressed the importance of individuals at high risk of severe infection following standard precautionary measures including wearing a mask when in crowded places, regular hand hygiene and keeping a safe distance between yourself and others.
The Ministry also recommends that people who experience COVID-19 symptoms get tested for the infection and seek treatment if they are at increased risk for severe disease. Patients with the following symptoms are advised to seek medical assessment and possible treatment: fever of 38C or higher, chills, fatigue and body aches, cough with chest pain, and shortness of breath.
The Ministry stated that those individuals most at risk include people 60 years of age and older and those with chronic medical conditions.
The Ministry of Public Health announced the detection of new cases of the new COVID-19 variant, clarifying that the recorded cases were minor cases and did not lead to hospitalization at this point.
Image Credit: Shutterstock (For representation purposes only)
Source: The Ministry of Public Health
Follow us on our social media channels:
@ILQlive
@ILQlive
@ILoveQtr
ILoveQatar
You have successfully registered your account!
Please confirm your e-mail address by clicking on the URL sent to you.The e-mail usually arrives in 5-10 minutes.
How ajeeb was that!? Thanks for contributing to our community! Your post will appear after we take a quick look!
