New COVID-19 subtype increases the number of cases worldwide

A COVID-19 subvariant named EG.5.1, or Eris, is increasingly appearing in the United States and Britain. Symptoms of the subvariant reportedly include a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and a sore throat, with experts in Australia saying it will emerge here.

Φώτο αρχείου Source: Getty / Getty images

A new COVID-19 subvariant is causing a spike in cases in some parts of the world, and experts believe it is likely already circulating in the Australian community. 

The new coronavirus variant has been dubbed Eris, or EG.5.1, and was reportedly first detected in Asia.

It is part of the Omicron sublineage and part of the E-G.5 group, which was listed as a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organisation in July.