The National Department of Health has confirmed the first case of the new COVID-19 variant EG.5 or Eris in South Africa.
While the WHO states that the variant is unlikely to cause any alarm, it is likely to cause an increase in infections.
The Department confirmed to SABC News that the case was confirmed in a sample in the province of Gauteng.
COVID infections and hospitalisations are on the rise in the US, Europe and Asia.
Eris is a subvariant of the Omicron lineage that originally emerged in November 2021.
The symptoms of Eris are similar to those of other COVID-19 variants, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, and sore throat.
The Health Department is urging South Africans to get vaccinated.
VIDEO: Wits Professor, Shabir Madhi explains the COVID-19 EG-5 variant:
