Coronavirus: New COVID strain called FL 1.5.1 or 'Fornax' detected; here's what you need to know

After a dip in COVID cases for months, health experts are now tracking not just one, but three new COVID-19 variants over the past few weeks.

After the widespread variant EG.5, FL.1.5.1 is the next-largest strain at 13.3% of U.S. infections, the CDC estimated. Dubbed "Fornax" by virus tracker T. Ryan Gregory, FL.1.5.1 has nearly doubled from the week prior when it was an estimated 7.1% of circulating variants.

FL.1.5.1 as well as EG.5 are XBB variant descendants that share a mutation known as F456L, CBS news reported. This mutation appears to be helping them spread more than other virus siblings.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates, EG.5 was responsible for 20.6% of cases of COVID-19 in the United States at the end of the third week of August, which was more than any other single circulating SARS-CoV-2 strain.

There is also a new highly mutated strain of Coronavirus called BA.2.86. At present, only a small handful of cases have been spotted around the world of this new variant. The strain's large number of mutations at some key parts of the virus has accelerated investigations into the risk that this variant might pose, CBS news reported.

Read more: Which arm gets the COVID-19 booster shot may impact your immune response, study finds

Symptoms of COVID variants EG.5 and FL.1.5.1 appear to be largely the same. So far, there are no dramatic changes in symptoms caused by these new variants, compared to their close previous Omicron variant relatives. At present, common symptoms include sore throat, runny or blocked nose, cough with or without phlegm and headaches.

Moderna, Inc. has announced that preliminary clinical trial data “confirm its updated COVID-19 vaccine showed a significant boost in neutralizing antibodies against EG.5 (Eris) & FL.1.5.1 (Fornax) variants. So, Moderna's updated COVID vaccine may be effective against the circulating variants.”