Rate of positive COVID-19 tests rises to 30 pct: Expert

ANKARA

The rate of positive cases detected in COVID-19 tests has risen from 3 to 30 percent in Türkiye, with a significant majority anticipated to be associated with EG.5, a new subvariant unofficially nickname as Eris, a prominent infectious disease expert has revealed.

"Previously, out of 100 tests we requested from patients, we would typically see 3 to 4 positive results. Now, the positivity rate has escalated to the range of 20 to 30 percent. We estimate that a considerable portion of these cases is attributed to the Eris variant," said Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ceyhan, the chair of the Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Hacettepe University’s Medicine Faculty.

Ceyhan emphasized the necessity of conducting variant analysis to determine the prevalence of the Eris variant among the positive cases. However, due to a significant decrease in the number of available COVID-19 tests, they currently lack sufficient resources for comprehensive variant analysis, he added.

Ceyhan criticized the Health Ministry over rejecting to take specific measures regarding the Eris variant, asserting that by allowing the virus to spread unchecked under the assumption of a diminished threat, the risk of various variants emerging increases.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca recently stated that Türkiye will not conduct a new mass vaccination campaign against Eris.

Ceyhan also noted that there has been a notable rise in the number of patients applying to medical institutions for symptoms such as persistent fever, sore throat, coughing, sneezing and general body aches.

"Many diseases can manifest in a similar manner; however, we cannot differentiate without conducting tests how many of these cases are related to COVID-19, how many are influenza or just common colds," he lamented.