In a statement on social media, Koca said that the variant had been found in nine people who had recently traveled abroad. He added that the variant is known to have a low virulence, meaning that it is less likely to cause serious illness.

Koca said that the government would continue with the current measures to control the spread of COVID-19.

“It's important to note that this variant is already prevalent in other countries, and its appearance in our country was expected. Our focus remains on safeguarding the health of our elderly citizens and those with chronic illnesses,” Koca said.

The Eris variant was first identified in Egypt in August 2022. It is a subvariant of the Omicron variant and is believed to be more transmissible than the original Omicron strain. However, there is no evidence that it is more severe.

The detection of the Eris variant in Türkiye is a reminder that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. However, the government's swift response and the low virulence of the variant should help to keep the situation under control. (ILKHA)