Covid Nimbus variant cases double in one month as infections hit highest level
The variant has been flagged in the UK, US and Australia and is linked to spikes in cases in India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand. Nimbus, known scientifically as N.B.1.8.1, is thought to be the most contagious variant of the virus yet with experts warning it could drive a wave of new cases this summer.
In its weekly report UKHSA also said there had also been a slight increase in hospital admissions for Covid to just over 1.5 admissions per 100,000 people. It follows warnings from British scientists earlier this month that Nimbus could lead to a surge in Covid cases.
They warned that many people's immunity to the virus, built up from previous infections and older jabs, has likely faded meaning they could be at higher risk of falling ill.
Other data collected by the agency shows the total number of tests coming back positive for any type of Covid has increased to 6.8 per cent as of June 15, the latest available data. This is up from 5.6 per cent last month and represents the highest figure recorded so far this year.
'The NB.1.8.1 variant, also referred to as Nimbus, is a new strain of the Covid-19 virus that has emerged due to mutations in its genetic material,' says Dr Naveed Asif, GP at The London General Practice.
'Variants like this pop up when the virus mutates, which is normal for viruses, especially ones that spread widely,' explains Tang. 'NB.1.8.1 was first picked up in early 2025 and has since been detected in several countries, including the UK, China and US. It's got some new mutations that scientists are keeping a close eye on.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
The worrying thing Covid can do to your blood revealed by new study
Covid may prematurely age blood vessels by around five years, according to a new study, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Research published in the European Heart Journal revealed that a Covid infection could accelerate the ageing of blood vessels, particularly in women. Vaccinated individuals show less stiffening in their arteries and stabilised symptoms over time in comparison to those who had not been protected against Covid. Lead researcher Professor Rosa Maria Bruno, from Université Paris Cité, said: "We know that Covid can directly affect blood vessels. We believe that this may result in what we call early vascular ageing, meaning that your blood vessels are older than your chronological age and you are more susceptible to heart disease. 'If that is happening, we need to identify who is at risk at an early stage to prevent heart attacks and strokes." The new study tested nearly 2,500 people from across the world, categorising them based on whether they had Covid and whether they had been hospitalised for it, both in a general ward and in an intensive care unit. Tests were taken six months after an infection and again after 12 months. It measured each person's vascular age with a device that examines how quickly a wave of blood pressure travels between the artery in the neck and the legs. The higher the measurement meant the stiffer the blood vessels, indicating a higher vascular age. It found that all three groups of patients who had a Covid infection had stiffer arteries compared to those who hadn't been affected. The average increase in women was 0.55 meters per second for those who had mild Covid, 0.60 for those who had been hospitalised, and 1.09 for those in intensive care. According to researchers, an increase of around 0.5 meters per second is "clinically relevant" and equivalent to ageing around five years. It also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, like heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac arrest, in 60-year-old women by 3 per cent. The difference between men and women could come down to immune systems, Prof Bruno added. She said: 'Women mount a more rapid and robust immune response, which can protect them from infection. However, this same response can also increase damage to blood vessels after the initial infection.' She said the virus acts on specific receptors in the body that are in the lining of the blood vessels. The virus will use these receptors to enter and infect cells. Last month, it was reported that a new strain of Covid had spread across the UK, accounting for the highest proportion of cases - around 30 per cent. Experts warned the Stratus strain was resisting immunity and had a unique symptom of giving people a hoarse voice.
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Brits warned to make vital check with their GP before heading on holiday
There are a lot of things to remember while preparing for a holiday - but the NHS has urged all travellers to book in with their GP ahead of their travels in order to stay safe While booking a holiday can be exciting, travellers are warned to check with their GPs before jetting off in order to stay safe. Going on holiday requires a lot of planning, making sure your passport is in date, sorting arrangements for your stay and remembering your SPF but also it's crucial to make sure you are vaccinated if heading to certain countries. Brits are being warned to double-check their vaccinations at least six weeks before going away, as they have to be done ahead of time to allow your body to build an immunity against viruses and diseases abroad. The NHS recommends booking in with their doctor to avoid falling unwell while on holiday and health experts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) advise people to check if they need to take any preventative measures. In the UK, the NHS routine immunisation (vaccination) schedule protects you against a number of diseases, but does not cover all of the infectious diseases found overseas. The UKHSA urged: "Ideally travellers should consult their GP, practice nurse, pharmacist, or travel clinic at least four to six weeks before their trip for individual advice, travel vaccines and malaria prevention tablets, if relevant for their destination." Travellers can also use the TravelHealthPro website which offers country-specific advice giving vaccine recommendations as well as active health risks at each destination. NHS vaccinations include MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella), polio, meningitis, hepatitis and tetanus which all adults and children should be up to date with - as these infections can be more prevalent in some countries. In a recent report by UKHSA, it indicated a rise in travel-associated fever cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and a total of 702 instances of cases - including typhoid and paratyphoid infections - were reported in 2024, compared to 645 cases in 2023. These are preventable illnesses that are transmitted through contaminated food or water, and the majority of cases caught during travel to regions with poor sanitation. Brits heading abroad can A free free typhoid vaccination is available at local GP surgeries for British travellers heading abroad, but there are no existing jabs paratyphoid. The NHS say you may be more at risk of some diseases if you are doing any of the following: travelling in rural areas backpacking staying in hostels or camping on a long trip rather than a package holiday It's also important to note that some countries require proof of vaccination (for example, for polio or yellow fever vaccination), which must be documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) before you enter or when you leave a country.
Press and Journal
9 hours ago
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen man thriving three years after care home's failings left him facing needless 'end of life' care
Recent failings at a troubled Aberdeen care home have stirred up painful memories for a former resident's family, whose loved one was hospitalised for severe malnourishment. Wendy Sutton spoke candidly about her family's ordeal after her brother, Michael Yeoman, was placed in Hamewith Lodge in Northfield back in 2022. She told The Press and Journal his care left him so poorly that a visiting nurse believed he was in his final days. The worried medical professional is even said to have prescribed end of life medication to ease his pain. Only when he was hospitalised did the care home's failings become clear. He made a significant recovery after being moved from Hamewith Lodge and, in new accommodation, is 'thriving' three years on from his ordeal. Wendy is clear that the home badly failed her brother, with key issues including poor nutrition and medication mismanagement — complaints that were upheld by the Care Inspectorate. She has come forward to speak out after a 2025 report outlined continued failings at Hamewith. For Wendy the issues raised by inspectors are eerily similar to those made by she and her family during her brother's time there. It was back in February 2022 that Michael, aged 67, was moved from his specialist home into Hamewith Lodge. He suffers from severe mental disabilities, with the family referring to him as 'Peter Pan' as he has the mental age of a five-year-old. He'd been in the care home just two months when it became clear his health was declining rapidly, prompting the family to demand help. A Covid outbreak at the home had forced the cancellation of family visits. But they continued to interact with him over video and Wendy could see a difference in his appearance. 'We noticed on a number of occasions, with each and every FaceTime, that Michael was deteriorating,' she said. 'He was rocking back and forth in his chair. He wasn't communicating very well. And he had black eyes and bruising on his body.' According to Wendy, the staff said her brother's appearance was simply down to Covid. But within six weeks he had lost 10kg in weight. Michael's brother Brian tried to visit him, but was told by staff that he was 'fine'. Undeterred, Brian turned up unannounced, creating what the family said was 'visible panic' among the staff. And in fact, by the end of the day, staff had attempted to administer end of life care – a move that confounded his siblings. Wendy said: 'They told us he was 'end of life' but we couldn't understand why because he had recovered from Covid, and his vitals and blood pressure were good. 'We were told we couldn't sit in with Michael because he was end of life. He was prescribed end of life drugs. 'We demanded that Michael be taken to hospital but they didn't want that. 'They said he was comfortable where he was and we were advised to leave him. 'We fought to get him into the hospital. 'At the hospital we were told that he was suffering from malnutrition and severe dehydration and they didn't know if he would pull through. 'Michael would have died if we hadn't intervened.' A spokesperson for HC-One, which operates Hamewith Lodge, told The Press and Journal: 'Mr Yeoman sadly experienced a rapid decline in his health in May 2022, which prompted colleagues to contact his GP services for additional medical advice. 'Following a consultation with an NHS advanced nurse practitioner, Mr Yeoman was placed on 'End of Life Care' and was moved to hospital soon after. 'This decision was not made by colleagues at the home and a subsequent hearing by the Nursing and Midwifery Council found no wrongdoing.' Despite that, Wendy lodged five specific complaints with the Care Inspectorate regarding Michael's situation. All were upheld. In documents made available to The P&J, the Care Inspectorate found: For Wendy, reading the 2025 report into Hamewith Lodge left her 'horrified'. She said: 'It was the same situation as before. 'The care inspector's recommendations are exactly what they said to us in 2022. 'It's now 2025 and I just think someone is going to die in that home before something is actually done.' One complaint Wendy made was that Michael was given improper doses of medication. This was echoed by inspectors in the 2025 report. She said: 'I couldn't believe how many times we had put in concerns about certain things over the few weeks that Michael was there. 'It was practically on a daily basis that there were always issues.' An HC-One spokesperson added: 'We take the feedback and findings from the Care Inspectorate very seriously. 'We acknowledge that the standard of care for Mr Yeoman fell below the level we as an organisation set ourselves and our residents expect. 'We apologise for the upset and distress caused to Mr Yeoman and want to reassure his family that everyone at the home is continually committed to raising the standards of care to an appropriate level.' Hamewith Lodge made improvements following the problems in 2022, achieving a 'very good' rating in a 2024 report. The report noted that during that time a new management team had been installed. Hamewith Lodge was also praised for being 'clean, tidy and clutter free'. However, in the nine months since that report, there has once again been a decline in standards. Following his hospital admission, Michael remained in a hospital bed for weeks as he recovered. He was then offered a chance to live at Cowdray Club Care Home, where he remains to this day. Wendy said: 'He has improved greatly since being at Cowdray Club. 'It's a wonderful end to the story, because it could have had a very different ending.'
