New variant of Covid discovered as doctors warn of unusual symptoms
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A new COVID strain sends a shiver across the UK as cases of the NB. 1.8.1 variant lead to unusual symptoms.
Northern Ireland has confirmed at least seven individuals afflicted by this fresh coronavirus mutation, signalling a stark turn in the pandemic's path.
"Common symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur in some cases," reveals Dr Lara Herrero, a noted virologist and research leader from Griffith University.
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The less common gastrointestinal symptoms reported are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and more severe digestion-related issues, with The Mirror shedding light on the exhaustive list of symptoms tied to NB. 1.8, reports the Mirror.
With its swift escalation, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has now tagged NB. 1.8. 1 as a "variant under monitoring", intensifying concerns over its ability to slip past the immunity forged by vaccines or earlier infections.
NB. 1.8.1's footing is already strong in Hong Kong and China, and cases have sprung up in the US, Australia, and even in favoured holiday spots like Egypt, Thailand, and the Maldives, as chronicled by the Daily Star.
WHO data reveals a significant jump in the strain from 2.5% to 10.7% of submitted global sequences within four weeks, sparking international worry. A WHO spokesperson explained: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1.
"In February, circulation of XEC began to decline while that of LP.8.1 increased, with the latter becoming the most detected variant in mid-March. Since mid-April, the circulation of LP.8.1 has been slightly declining as NB.1.8.1 is increasingly being detected."
Specialists note that NB. 1.8.1 has numerous mutations that "may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains".
"However, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports indicate symptoms of NB.1.8.1 are expected to be similar to those of other Omicron subvariants."
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