New COVID variant not detected in Türkiye, minister says

KIRŞEHİR

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced that the country has not detected the presence of the new variant of COVID-19, EG.5, within its borders.

"Do not worry about these variants. There is no such thing as a transition to the periods that we have closed," Koca declared in a press address held in the Central Anatolian province of Kırşehir on Aug. 23.

While acknowledging that COVID-19 cases were still being reported, Koca detailed, "We see a variant period that gradually decreases in effectiveness with mutations."

The minister highlighted that Türkiye would handle the situation similarly to how the flu is managed, asserting that there were no imminent plans for shutdowns.

Early this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled the Omicron subvariant EG.5 as a "variant of interest," prompted by its increasing prevalence.

According to WHO data, EG.5 accounted for over 17 percent of reported cases in mid-July, a notable rise from the 7.6 percent reported the previous month.

Referred to informally as "Eris" online, EG.5 is considered a descendant of the XBB lineage of the virus. It exhibits higher transmissibility, likely attributed to a spike protein mutation, and has displayed an ability to evade immunity, according to WHO assessments.

However, the WHO affirmed that EG.5 did not induce more severe COVID-19 symptoms and posed a "low" risk to global public health, drawing comparisons to other recent Omicron subvariants.

Koca also discussed measles cases as well, highlighting a gradual decline in contrast to the figures from two to three months ago.

"Istanbul is the predominant province, accounting for 80 percent of cases, followed by Ankara, Gaziantep, Kocaeli and Diyarbakır," Koca disclosed. "Vaccination remains the most effective form of protection. It is crucial that we prioritize vaccinations for our children, as recommended by the scientific committee on vaccination."

Addressing the escalating violence directed at healthcare personnel, Koca revealed ongoing cooperation with the Interior Ministry to bolster security measures. "We aim to increase the number of security guards," Koca shared.