News

‘Eris’, New COVID Strain Sweeps Through US, UK

Published

2 years ago

August 9, 2023

The World Health Organisation, WHO, has classified the EG.5 coronavirus, COVID, strain dubbed ‘Eris’ and circulating in the United States, US, and the United Kingdom, UK, as a ‘variant of interest’.

However, ‘Eris’, a highly-infectious variant, is mild and does not pose more of a threat to public health than other versions of the virus, the WHO said.

Eris has quickly become dominant in America — accounting for one in five infections — and is driving the first rise in cases and hospitalisations this year.

The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, has a slightly different classification system, and it has designated Eris a variant ‘under monitoring’ and not one of ‘interest’ or ‘concern’.

Meanwhile, hospitalisations from Covid in the US have risen 12 percent between the week ending July 15 and the week ending July 22, Covid rates remain at historic lows.

Recent deaths have also remained static and are at their lowest levels since Covid emerged, at around 500 per week.

For comparison, at the peak of the US’ pandemic in January 2022, hospitalisations were as high as 150,674. This time last year, they were just over 44,000.

In the first week of July, 7.5 percent of Covid cases were due to EG.5. Now, 17.3 percent of cases are.

Experts have said that Eris is one of the quickest growing variants across the world, which could be due to a ‘slightly beneficial mutation’ which means it is spreading fastest than its relatives.

It has also been detected in China, South Korea, Japan and Canada, among other countries.

“Collectively, available evidence does not suggest that EG.5 has additional public health risks relative to the other currently circulating Omicron descendent lineages,” the WHO said in a risk evaluation.

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A more comprehensive evaluation of the risk posed by Eris (EG.5) was needed, it added.

COVID-19 has killed more than 6.9 million people globally, with more than 768 million confirmed cases since the virus emerged.

WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic in March 2020 and ended the global emergency status for COVID-19 in May this year.

Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, said Eris had an increased transmissibility but was not more severe than other Omicron variants.

“We don’t detect a change in severity of Eris (EG.5) compared to other sublineages of Omicron that have been in circulation since late 2021,” she said.

Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus deplored that many countries were not reporting COVID-19 data to WHO.

He said that only 11% had reported hospitalisations and ICU admissions related to the virus.

In response, WHO issued a set of standing recommendations for COVID, in which it urged countries to continue reporting COVID data, particularly mortality data, morbidity data, and to continue to offer vaccination.

Van Kerkhove said that the absence of data from many countries was hindering efforts to fight the virus.

“About a year ago, we were in a much better situation to either anticipate or act or be more agile,” she said.

“And now the delay in our ability to do that is growing. And our ability to do this is declining.”

(UK MailOnline)

News

Jonathan In Edo, Says Nigeria’s Politics Full Of Betrayals

Published

30 minutes ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has decried the level of betrayal and lies in Nigeria’s political atmosphere.

Jonathan spoke in Benin on Thursday at the 70th birthday ceremony of his former Chief of Staff and former deputy governor of Edo State, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe.

Jonathan, who described Ogiadomhe as an ally that can be trusted all time, added: “One of the few friends that gave up their necks when I became president, is Mike. You know politics in the Nigerian standard is about betrayals.

“You find it difficult to see somebody who will say the same thing in the morning and in the evening. I’ve witnessed a lot of betrayals, especially my 2015 elections, and Mike is somebody who would take a bullet on my behalf.

“He is somebody that you can take his word to the bank; most other politicians, you cannot take their words to the bank. They will tell you something, the next one hour they are saying another”.

On his part, deputy governor of Edo State, Dennis Idahosa, who represented Governor Monday Okpebholo, said the foundation Ogiadomhe laid as deputy is what is still being followed.

Lucky Igbinedion on his part said he had no reservation handing over the affairs of the state to Ogiadomhe as his deputy governor when he needed to travel abroad.

Also speaking former governor of the state and senator representing Edo North, Comrade Adams Oahiomhole said whenever he discussed politics with the celebrant, he always told him that wherever Jonathan is, is where he would be.

He commended his wife, Lousia for being a dependable wife.

The birthday celebration attracted many dignitaries including former governors Lucky Igbinedion, Professor Osarhiemen Osunbor, Adams Oahiomhole and Ibrahim Dakwambo of Gombe State.

Others included former deputy governors including Rev. Peter Obadan, Pius Odubu, Marvelous Omobayo, Chief Judge of Edo State Daniel Okungbowa, Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Hon Blessing Agbebaku who led other members of the assembly, traditional rulers among others.

News

ITF Warns Organisations, Employers Against Rejection Of IT Students

Published

6 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has warned organisations and employers nationwide against rejecting students seeking attachment for their Industrial Training (IT) exercises.

ITF Area Manager in Bauchi, Dr Ashore Paul, issued the warning on Thursday during the orientation exercise for prospective IT students of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.

Represented by Mrs Nanzem Yilshuut, Head of Training at the ITF Bauchi Area Office, Paul said that “the act establishing the Fund mandates every organisation to accept students for industrial attachment.”

He further stated that any employer or organisation found in breach of these provisions was liable to conviction and sanctions.

Paul also urged the prospective IT students to adhere to the rules and regulations of any organisation they joined and to be willing to learn and fulfill their responsibilities.

“When these students come back, we expect that there is a difference.

“They should have learned something new because definitely, what they learned in school, would be expected to be put into practicals.

“This will help them in their academics and also assist them in their future endeavours.

“They must participate 100 per cent, they must be disciplined and they must be willing to learn.

“We go round to ensure that they are doing what they are expected to do at their places of attachment.

“When we go for supervision, we ensure that what they are learning is in line with their courses,” he said.

The Rector of the institution, Sani Usman, said that the industrial attachment was an activity that enabled polytechnics to fulfill their mandate as technology and skill-driven institutions.

“Our students are given industrial experience during their first year so as to be registered in their minds that all of them are meant to be skilled class men and women and that is why the industrial attachment is very important.

“It enables them to build on what they have learned in their respective classrooms and practicals during the year,” he said.

Usman emphasised the importance of proper supervision during industrial training.

According to him, it will ensure students not only attend their placements but also carry out their assigned tasks effectively.

“The supervision is also to see that the employers or the places they have been sent to do their Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) do not exploit them to the level that is not required by the institution”, he said.

He further revealed that 3,000 students across all departments in the institution were going for this year’s SIWES.

News

Smokers Risk Cardiac Arrest, Expert Warns

Published

7 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Editor

A Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery, in the department of surgery, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Uyo, Prof Eyo Ekpe has warned cigarettes smokers and patients with diabetes to take adequate of their chest in order not to fall a victim of cardiac arrest .

He said that these health conditions trigger certain types of abnormal heartbeats called arrhythmias responsible for sudden cardiac arrest.

Professor Ekpe gave the warning on Wednesday while delivering the 117th Inaugural Lecturer of the University of Uyo, titled “My Chest! My Chest!! My Chest!!!: Relieving Chest Pain, Preventing Death and Restoring Health”

He disclosed that many Nigerians have died for ignoring cardiac arrest triggers, preventing them, or seeking late medical attention to chest related ailments.

“Chest pain should not be ignored. Symptom of chest pain that is reported early would afford the clinician the opportunity to obtain adequate medical history from the person, medically examine the person thoroughly, optimally conduct the necessary laboratory tests to unravel the cause, and apply an evidence based treatment modality to relieve the chest pain, prevent death and restore heath.

“People should guard their heart diligently to prevent heart attack. Cigarette should not be smoked, high blood pressure should be prevented or controlled, diabetes mellitus should be prevented or controlled, and high blood cholesterol and lipoprotein should be prevented or controlled. A culture of regular physical exercise must be intentionally domesticated.

“People should guard their heart diligently to prevent cardiac arrest. Causes and triggers of arrhythmias should be prevented by preventing stress, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, coronary artery disease and electrolyte disorders, and avoiding cigarette smoking and alcohol abuse,” he stated.

Ekpe said medical consultation for chest problems should be with qualified medical doctors to avoid misdiagnosis, wrong treatment and complications, adding that regular medical checks and timely reports of symptoms of ailments must be prioritised.

“Safe-driving habit and road safety must be taken as a serious business. Seat restrained-belt should be used by all occupants of moving vehicles.

“Bicycles, motorcycles and tricycles should not ply traffic-congested roads. All victims of chest pain and chest injuries must be attended to by qualified medical doctors in a timely manner,” he advised.