News

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

Published

2 years ago

August 9, 2023

Editor

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

Okpebholo Believes In Courage, Capacity Says Edo Poly Rector

Published

55 minutes ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

The acting rector of Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Dr Nosakhare Arodoye has promised to implement to the fullest the SHINE agenda of the state government.

Dr Arodoye said he was appointed by the governor to change the narrative of the Polytechnic from the present state to global standard with market-ready graduates and wealth creators within and outside Nigeria.

He spoke during the handover ceremony of the leadership in the state tertiary institution.

According to him, “the governor sent me here for development that will position this institution in a manner that will be productively and evidently attractive to all for visible intellectual results and deliveries.

“I’m for greater impact, lesser noise, the governor as a game changer understands this hence he approved my appointment as a tool for change in Edo Poly. Governor Okpebholo believes in courage and capacity.

“The governor is not a cut to size, he knows how the academic environment works. You can see that his team is made up of global scholars and that is where I belong.

“I’m here to work, I’m going to teach, courses must be allocated to me. I go for what people run from as a progressive, just like the governor, you can see the turnaround of things affecting every area positively.”

Earlier, the immediate past acting rector, Engr. Sylvester Omoruyi briefed the new rector on the present state of the institution particularly the continuous support from the state government.

He said Sen Monday Okpebholo has cleared the backlog of salaries as staff now receive their salary as at when due.

He noted that a total of twenty-two programmes have successfully been accredited with NYSC calling for various HND awarding departments.

On partnership, he said the polytechnic is currently in collaboration with Xianzi and Fuzhou Polytechnic in China where seven students are currently undergoing studies on student exchange programmes.

Before arriving at the polytechnic premises, Dr Arodoye had visited the palace of the Elawure of Usen, Oba Oluogbe III.

News

JUST IN: Senate Confirms Amupitan As INEC Chairman

Published

3 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

The Senate has confirmed Professor Joash Amupitan as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The Red Chamber confirmed Amupitan after a voice vote conducted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and after undergoing screening and answering questions posed by the lawmakers.

Amupitan had earlier arrived at the National Assembly complex earlier, exchanged pleasantries with Senators.

He was accompanied to the chamber by the Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, and other dignitaries.

At about 12:50 p.m., the nominee was ushered into the Senate chamber by the Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Abubakar Lado, and was already seated ahead of the commencement of the exercise.

Amupitan was allowed into the hallowed chamber after the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), moved that Order 12 be set aside to allow visitors into the chamber, and he was seconded by the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South).

Senate President Godswill Akpabio welcomed Amupitan, his family members, and well-wishers to the Red Chamber, commending them for their presence.

Before introducing himself to the Senators for the question and answer session to take off, Akpabio disclosed to his colleagues that the nominee had been cleared by the office of the National Security Adviser after vetting.

According to Akpabio, the office of the Department of State Services had also cleared him.

The Senate President also said that the Office of the Inspector-General of Police, having done a fingerprint search on him, cleared him and said that he had no criminal records with the police.

The screening exercise commenced at about 12:55 p.m. following Akpabio’s opening remarks, during which he outlined the procedures to be followed by the lawmakers in considering the nominee’s credentials.

The screening session focused on Amupitan’s vision for credible elections, his plans for institutional reforms within INEC, and measures to deepen the use of technology in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Following his confirmation by the Senate, Amupitan will oversee preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and lay the groundwork for the 2027 general elections.

President Bola Tinubu had nominated Amupitan, a Professor of Law from the University of Jos, to succeed Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

The President’s letter conveying Amupitan’s nomination was read on the floor of the Senate by Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Jos, Amupitan, is widely regarded for his expertise in constitutional and international law.

News

IPF Commends Tompolo’s Commitment To Security In Delta, Nigeria

Published

7 hours ago

October 16, 2025

Editor

Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has commended High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, for his remarkable commitment to improving security in Delta State, Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.

In a press statement by its national president, Comrade Ozobo Austin, the IPF described Tompolo’s gesture towards Delta Security Trust Fund as a demonstration of his firm commitment to promoting peace, security, and progress in the atate, Niger Delta and Nigeria.

The group’s leadership lauded Tompolo’s philanthropic efforts, which according to them, portrayed his dedication to the well-being and prosperity of the country.

Recall that Tompolo promised continued support for the Delta State Security Trust Fund after making a handsome donation at the event held at the government house yesterday.

“The unprecedented donation and firm commitment to peace and security in the country by High Chief Tompolo are shining examples of his leadership and dedication to the development of Delta State, Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole.

“We commend him for his vision and generosity, and we urge others to follow his footsteps in supporting initiatives that promote peace and security in Delta State and Niger Delta region.

“High Chief Tompolo’s support will go a long way in enhancing security measures in Delta state and contributing meaningfully to the overall development of the country,” the statement reads.