WHO warns of 'more infectious' Covid variant as travellers urged to mask up and get jags
This new strain, believed to be more infectious than previous variants, has also been detected in the US and the UK. Now, the Thai Government has sounded a warning after recording 257,280 cases of Covid and 52 fatalities.
The latest outbreak has hit hardest in the capital, Bangkok, and in Chonburi Province. Deputy Government Spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak warned that international travel and the upcoming rainy season could exacerbate the outbreaks, with the Ministry of Public Health set to closely monitor the situation.
Anukool advised people to 'limit activities that increase the risk of infection, wash their hands regularly, wear masks in crowded places, get booster vaccinations when due, and seek medical attention promptly if experiencing symptoms', reports the Mirror.
Cases of the virus have been on the rise since mid-February and are now at their highest rate since last June. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports higher levels of Covid in 73 countries - including the Caribbean.
The WHO has raised the alarm over the new NB. 1.8.1 strain, now under scrutiny as cases spike globally. By late April 2025, it accounted for approximately 10.7 percent of all sequenced cases, a significant jump from 2.5 percent just four weeks earlier, and has become the prevalent variant in Hong Kong and China.
Lara Herrero, Associate Professor and Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease at Griffith University, highlighted that due to numerous mutations, this strain "may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains".
"But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants.
"Common symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur in some cases."
NB. 1.8.1 is surging in numbers across the Eastern Mediterranean, including Egypt, a popular holiday spot, and is also spreading through South East Asia, with cases reported in Thailand and the Maldives.
The WHO has noted recent upticks in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
The report states: "WHO recommends that countries remain vigilant, adapt to evolving epidemiological trends, and leverage COVID-19 management strategies to strengthen systems for all respiratory disease threats. Member States should continue offering COVID-19 vaccines in line with WHO recommendations.
"Based on the current risk assessment of this event, WHO advises against imposing travel or trade restrictions."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'Super easy' protein-rich food that 'boosts heart health' is loved by athletes
A food and flavour expert has shared some of the foods that are popular among Olympic athletes - not just for performance but also overall health A health expert has revealed the top food choices of athletes that can help us mere mortals stay healthy and battle chronic diseases. Elite athletes need food that not only fuels them during gruelling training sessions and competitions, but also aids recovery after intense workouts. Plus, a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals is essential to maintain overall health and ward off injuries or illnesses. In short, athletes require the right grub to power up. Food and flavour whizz Matt Webster, from Seasoned Pioneers, has now spilt the beans on what athletes love to eat and how these foods contribute to a healthier and happier lifestyle. Salmon tops the list. "A key element of any Olympian's diet is protein," Matt explained. "A lot of athletes' food goals involve getting plenty of protein while also keeping inflammation down "This fish is packed full with omega-3 fatty acids – a nutrient that's linked to a variety of things such as improving heart and lung health, strengthening your joints and also boosting your immune system. Salmon is a fantastic source of protein – the vital factor in muscle growth that helps the process of replacing damaged muscle tissue." Matt isn't alone in his opinion - according to Outside Magazine, it's a fantastically healthy oily fish. It's packed with lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation that can hamper athletic performance and contribute to chronic conditions like heart disease. Matt also mentioned other foods that athletes adore for their health benefits - even if you're not vying for Olympic gold, reports Wales Online. Cayenne pepper Capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne pepper its heat, has been found to suppress appetite and modestly increase energy expenditure and circulation. It also binds to receptors in the brain, nerves and blood vessels associated with pain relief. Ground cayenne is widely used in cuisines around the world, particularly in Latin American, Caribbean, Indian, Thai, and Mexican cooking, and is known for its medicinal properties. When it comes to spices, Cayenne is super easy to incorporate into a variety of dishes, making it an essential spice for aspiring Olympians. Peanut butter You'll be chuffed to hear that peanut butter is a favourite among many athletes. However, it does need to be pure peanut butter without additives like sugars, oils and salts. If you can find the right stuff, it's a fantastic source of vitamin E, as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These are brilliant for lowering cholesterol levels in your blood and they're also crucial for bolstering your immune system, accelerating post-training recovery times and preventing injury. Peanut butter is packed with protein while also being a fantastic source of niacin and folic acids, both of which aid in converting food into energy. Plus, it's calorie-dense, ensuring your energy levels are sustained throughout tough workouts. Legumes Legumes are a natural protein-carbohydrate combo. This is vital for many endurance athletes, as you need carbs to fuel your muscles and protein to build and repair them. They also have a low-glycaemic index. This means they're slow to digest and provide prolonged energy. Low GI foods are excellent choices for endurance sports, as you generally can't eat anything during the workout. The soluble fibre in legumes also helps guard against heart disease by reducing the cholesterol in your blood. Eggs Just one egg provides 10 per cent of all your daily protein needs. It's one of the most complete food proteins available. Inside this high-quality protein are all of the amino acids necessary for your muscles to promote their recovery and repair processes. Apart from vitamin C, consuming two eggs a day can supply between 10 per cent to 30 per cent of all your vitamin requirements. That includes vitamin K, which is a crucial component for healthy bones. If you don't eat eggs, you really should. Dark chocolate It's been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as aid in decreasing inflammation. The caffeine found in dark chocolate is also believed to provide a longer-lasting energy boost, helping you to exercise for extended periods. To sweeten the deal even further, research has discovered that dark chocolate can enhance your body's efficiency in utilising oxygen. Just two or three squares are all you really need. If you can find a bar with almonds and other nuts included, that's even better.
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I went to a restaurant with no menu and was completely surprised by what turned up'
Restaurants usually have a set menu for customers to order from, but a tourist in Guatemala dined at one where you have the freedom to create your own unique meal It's no secret that foodies love to go out for a meal in a restaurant, with so many options to choose from. Some people have their favourites and like to stick to their go-to spots while others enjoy trying new places. A common feature of restaurants since the days of the Covid pandemic is digital menus and QR codes allowing customers to order their food and drinks directly from their phones. It's also normal to be handed a printed, pre-set menu after being shown to your table, but a restaurant in Guatemala is gaining attention for doing things quite differently. A TikTok user called Abbie is known for documenting her travel experiences and life in her 20s on the platform and she recently posted a video sharing that she ate at a restaurant in Flores, a town in the north of Guatemala, that has no menu. She said: 'I'm going to a restaurant that has no menu. Basically, the owner will sit and talk to you about your preferences and will pick out something for you to eat. 'I'm quite a fussy eater and I will try a lot of things but I'm a bit fussy with veg so I'm excited to see how I get on and what I get to eat.' After she took a seat at a table in the restaurant, named Bistro Puertas Del Cielo, the owner talked her through the food options that were available on that day. The tourist asked what the beef is like and the owner told her it can be cooked depending on her preferences, including if she would like it with more or less fat or more or less tender. Abbie said that she likes eating beef that is 'quite tender' and then the restaurateur moved on to suggestions for the sauce to accompany the meat, proposing mushrooms, blue cheese and truffle. The travel and food fan decided to go for the mushrooms and truffle but swapped the cheese for pepper. She added: 'I ended up with beef in a truffle sauce, crispy potatoes and bread on the side for 140 GTQ which is about £14. 'The previous night I'd actually walked past and it was super busy whereas this night I was the only person in there so the owner sat and chatted to me for a while which was so lovely.' Abbie felt like this restaurant is one of those eateries that you can go to with a group of friends and all 'come out with something so different.' She noted that it is 'more on the expensive side for Guatemala' but is locally owned and the foodie thought it was 'such an amazing experience.' In the caption of her TikTok post, she wrote: 'Going to a restaurant with no menu in Flores, Guatemala - if you follow one recommendation of mine please let it be this!! I literally recommend this place to everyone going to Flores.' The clip has garnered 219,800 views, 21,700 likes and a number of comments, at the time of writing. Someone else who has dined at Bistro Puertas Del Cielo commented: 'Ahh I went there last year my pasta dish was perfect. Exactly what I needed.' Another user said: 'Wow this looks so yummy.' A third added: 'This sounds like my kinda restaurant cause I can never make my mind up on what to order.' A different viewer chimed in: 'Omg this is such a unique and amazing experience.'
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
Walking is ‘the perfect exercise' – new research reveals you need less than 10,000 steps per day for most benefits
This statement might sound ridiculous, but walking is in vogue right now; not as a means of getting from A to B, but as a vehicle for improving your health. As a fitness writer and coach, I'm happy this is the case. Almost one in three people are failing to meet the World Health Organisation's (WHO) physical activity guidelines, according to a large-scale study published in The Lancet last year. Walking is one of the most effective ways to combat this. 'In the past, researchers and clinicians have described walking as 'the perfect exercise', and based on the body of evidence that has accumulated over the past few years, this is now truer than ever before,' says Dr Elroy Aguiar, an associate professor of exercise science at The University of Alabama. 'It is easy to perform, has a low barrier to entry and can elicit the full range of intensity, from light to moderate to vigorous, by simply adjusting your pace.' But how much do you need to walk to benefit your health? Previous studies have focused heavily on the number of steps required to reduce all-cause mortality. But, while this is a desirable outcome, it isn't the most relatable metric – few people are scribbling 'reduce all-cause mortality' among their fitness goals. Another study, also published in The Lancet, recognised this, so researchers set out to 'synthesise the prospective dose-response relationship between daily steps and health outcomes including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, cognitive outcomes, mental health outcomes, physical function and falls'. In layman's terms: how many daily steps are needed to see benefits in each of these areas? Here are the results, and how you can apply these findings to improve your health. 10-second takeaway The latest research suggests that walking 7,000 steps per day can significantly reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer mortality, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depressive symptoms and falls. All movement counts towards improved health, with a separate study finding 'as few as about 2,600 and about 2,800 steps per day yield significant mortality and cardiovascular disease benefits, respectively'. The optimal combination [of weekly movement] comes from maintaining a solid baseline level of step-related movement plus a brief amount [21 minutes or more] of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per day,' Aguiar says. This includes two full-body muscle-strengthening sessions each week, as per the WHO guidelines. How many steps do you need to take per day to improve your health? Unless you've been living under a rock, you'll be familiar with walking 10,000 steps per day as a fitness goal. You will also likely know by now that this figure originated from a 1960s marketing campaign for a Japanese pedometer called the 'manpo kei' – roughly translated as '10,000 steps metre'. The number 10,000 is satisfyingly round and easily marketable, but it has no solid scientific basis. However, its adoption as a default daily goal by many popular fitness trackers saw it become an unofficial holy grail for health in some circles. In 2023, a study by the University of Granada challenged this notion, finding that the number of steps you need to take per day 'to significantly reduce the risk of premature death' is 8,000, while 'if we focus on the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, most of the benefits are seen at around 7,000 steps'. The latest research in The Lancet – a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing scientific literature – aimed to identify how many daily steps are needed to achieve a broader range of health outcomes. Despite its wider scope, it settled on a similar conclusion. 'For all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease incidence, dementia and falls, an inverse non-linear dose-response association was found, with inflection points at around 5,000-7,000 steps per day,' it states. In other words: the more steps you take, the less likely you are to fall foul of these outcomes. This still applies when walking more than 5,000-7,000 steps per day, but there are diminishing returns. 'An inverse linear association was found for cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer incidence, cancer mortality, type 2 diabetes incidence and depressive symptoms,' the report continues. It found that, compared with walking 2,000 steps per day, 7,000 steps per day was associated with: 47 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality. 25 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease incidence. 47 per cent lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. 6 per cent lower risk of cancer incidence. 37 per cent lower risk of cancer mortality. 14 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes. 38 per cent lower risk of dementia. 22 per cent lower risk of depressive symptoms. 28 per cent lower risk of falls. Researchers concluded: 'Although 10,000 steps per day can still be a viable target for those who are more active, 7,000 steps per day is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in health outcomes and might be a more realistic and achievable target for some.' But, they add, the study should be interpreted 'in light of its limitations'; the small number of studies available for most outcomes, a lack of age-specific analysis and biases at the individual study level. Can you build fitness from walking alone? Walking has previously been dismissed by some as lacking the intensity needed to generate tangible health benefits for the masses. But this latest research shows it to be 'meaningful movement that can improve a wide range of health outcomes', says Aguiar. This is particularly true for those currently leading a sedentary lifestyle – the move from zero exercise to even a small amount of daily movement will likely have a dramatic effect. But is walking alone enough to represent a comprehensive fitness plan? The WHO's physical activity guidelines, mirrored by the NHS, recommend adults do 'at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or an equivalent combination of the two'. The NHS also says adults should aim to 'do strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups – legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms – at least two days a week'. Moderate-intensity exercise is any activity that raises your heart rate and quickens your breathing, but isn't so intense that you can't hold a conversation – in the context of walking, this has been equated to a brisk pace, or a cadence of around 110 steps per minute. As an experiment, I went for a 30-minute walk under these conditions and racked up a little over 3,000 steps. If I did this daily, I would surpass the WHO's weekly physical activity guidelines and could potentially hit The Lancet review's suggested target of 7,000 steps per day, when incidental daily movement was considered. But ideally, there would also be some form of formal exercise in my weekly routine, Aguiar tells me. 'To meet physical activity guidelines, you need to perform about 21 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity – roughly 1.5 per cent of the day,' he explains. 'But what about the remaining 98.5 per cent, or 23.6 hours, in the day? Is it OK to do 21 minutes of exercise, then sit or sleep for the remainder? 'While the evidence is not clear on this just yet, it's reasonable to say that we need to be moving throughout the day and avoiding prolonged sedentary time, which is independently known to be harmful.' He describes walking as 'the base of the physical activity pyramid'. Formal exercise is just the tip of the iceberg, while walking accounts for most of your wider daily movement. 'The optimal combination comes from maintaining a solid baseline level of step-related movement plus a brief amount of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per day,' Aguiar adds. 'It is likely that future iterations of physical activity guidelines by the WHO and individual countries will feature a steps per day target. Importantly, a daily target should not be viewed as a replacement for the current guidelines, but rather it should be viewed as complementary, so it's a both/and scenario.' How to set a suitable daily step goal If you can fit a 30-minute walk into each day, excellent. If you can do two full-body strength training sessions per week on top of this, even better. And if you can gradually introduce some added intensity into a few of your weekly workouts, be that through running, swimming, cycling, HIIT or any other means, you're well on your way to a comprehensive exercise plan. But this isn't always an option. One possible reason why a growing number of people are insufficiently active is that 21st-century living is rather busy. If you struggle to include movement in your day, 7,000 steps is likely to sound like a metaphorical mountain to climb. But, to quote the WHO, 'all physical activity counts', and any extra exercise you can crowbar into your week will still have a positive effect on your health. A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that 'as few as about 2,600 and about 2,800 steps per day yield significant mortality and cardiovascular disease benefits, with progressive risk reductions up to about 8,800 and about 7,200 steps per day, respectively'. In short, more movement is better, but a little can still have an impressive positive impact on your health. To reap the benefits of bite-sized exercise options, try the two tips below: Exercise 'snacking': The stereotypical workout lasts an hour, but given all movement matters for your health, it makes sense to squeeze some exercise in whenever you can – especially if you have a hectic schedule. This is called exercise snacking, and it could be anything from stretching at your desk to doing a few squats while brushing your teeth – our handy exercise 'snacking' guide can help you get started. If you want to up your daily step count using this method, you can implement it by parking slightly further away from the supermarket, getting off the bus before your usual stop or swapping the escalator for the stairs where possible. You can also inject some extra intensity into your walks by tackling a hill or upping the pace, as research has linked a higher walking cadence (the number of steps taken per minute) with improved health benefits – you can find out more about this by following the link below. Set achievable goals: People tend to set lofty fitness goals then lose motivation when they fall short. For example, aiming to walk 7,000 steps per day when they currently average 2,000, or going from zero weekly workouts to five. Instead, start small and work your way up – the feel-good hit of achieving these manageable goals can be a powerful stimulus for sticking with an exercise plan. In the case of walking, take a look at your current average daily steps per day via the health app on your phone or a fitness tracker. Divide it by five or 10, then add that figure to your average and try to hit this slightly higher target each day for the next couple of weeks. When this starts to feel easy, repeat the process, slowly taking yourself towards 7,000 steps per day. Why is walking 'the perfect exercise'? Walking is brilliant, but it's by no means magic. I would just as readily recommend other forms of exercise – strength training being premier among them, thanks to its body-strengthening benefits – to those able to access them. The problem is, for various reasons from physical limitations to opportunity, many people are unable to access other forms of exercise. Walking is one of the easiest, most accessible ways people can improve the amount they move and enjoy the many health benefits of doing so, making it a great way to supplement your weekly exercise plans. But if you swap your walk for a cycle and fall short of your daily step goal as a result, this isn't something to get hung up on. Your body has still enjoyed a workout, and your heart and lungs are likely to enjoy a similar stimulus from the two activities – all movement counts. The trick is to find an individualised approach that makes you feel good and allows consistent movement to become a habitual part of your life.
