Covid-19's latest strain could potentially be surging infections in certain global regions, as per WHO's statement.
Rising Covid-19 Cases Linked to New Variant, NB.1.8.1
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported an increase in Covid-19 cases in several regions, specifically the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and western Pacific. The new variant, identified as NB.1.8.1, has been detected in travelers arriving from these regions in the United States, specifically in California, Washington state, Virginia, and New York.
The news comes as the United States revises its stance on Covid-19 vaccination. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday that Covid-19 shots are no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, a decision that has been met with skepticism from several public health experts.
The WHO noted that some western Pacific countries have experienced increases in Covid cases and hospitalizations, but there is no evidence yet to suggest that the disease associated with the new variant is more severe compared to other variants.
NB.1.8.1 is currently the dominant version in the U.S. and globally. The variant appears to be more transmissible due to its ability to bind more tightly to human cells, attributed to six spike protein mutations. Despite its higher transmissibility, the variant doesn't seem to cause more severe illness compared to other Covid-19 variants.
Common symptoms of NB.1.8.1 include fever or chills, cough, sore throat, congestion, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and diarrhea. The effectiveness of current vaccines against NB.1.8.1 is being closely monitored, with some concerns about its ability to evade antibodies due to its mutations.
In ongoing discussions about vaccine boosters, some restrictions have been proposed in the U.S. despite the variant's presence. The public health risk of NB.1.8.1 is currently low at the global level, with current vaccines expected to remain effective.
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