RAMALLAH – The Palestinian Health Ministry said yesterday that 50 to 100 cases of the new Covid-19 variant EG.5 have been reported in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, reported Xinhua.
“Some of the registered cases were admitted to hospitals and left after receiving treatment,” said Kamal al-Shakhra, primary healthcare director in the Health Ministry, adding that the new variant spread rapidly and caused symptoms, such as fever, sore throat, runny nose and sore muscles.
Al-Shakhra also said the people most at risk of infection with the new variant are the elderly and those with chronic diseases, and that the infections coincided with summer when holiday movements abound.
Osama al-Najjar, head of supportive medical professions and blood banks, said in a statement that the ministry is following up on what the World Health Organisation (WHO) is publishing about the global spread of the new variant.
A few days ago, WHO announced the spread of the new Omicron variant EG.5 and classified it as a “variant of interest”. – Bernama, August 14, 2023
