Urgent holiday warning over new Covid variant that's ‘more infectious' as cases surge in popular hotspots
HEALTH authorities in popular holiday hotspots have issued warnings over a new Covid variant that's feared to be more infectious.
Travellers were urged to don masks and wash their hands as the new variant drives up cases.
1
The strain - called NB.1.8.1 - has been spotted in spots popular for British travellers, such as Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand.
It's also seen a rapid rise in Ireland in recent weeks and has been found in the US, Australia and the UK.
Health authorities in Thailand issued a warning about the variant, after recording Covid 257,280 cases and 52 deaths.
The country's capital Bangkok is seeing the worst of the outbreak, as well as the Chonburi Province.
Deputy government spokesperson Anukool Pruksanusak said international travel and the oncoming rainy season, could accelerate the outbreaks and the Ministry of Public Health will monitor the situation closely.
He urged 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".
It comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a warning over NB.1.8.1, designating it as a "variant under monitoring" due to its global spread and key mutations.
'Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalisations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation,' the WHO said.
But while it may not be particularly severe, may infect people more easily than previous variants, with some evidence suggesting that the variant binds more tightly to human cells.
"Data indicates that NB.1.8.1 does not lead to more severe illness compared to previous variants, although it appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily," Subhash Verma, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, told CBS News last week.
"In other words, it is more transmissible."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
29 minutes ago
- The Sun
TUI reintroduces flights to forgotten holiday destination that was huge with Brits in the Noughties
TUI is heading to sunny Sharm El Sheikh for the summer of 2026. Brits will be able to hop on flights to the Egyptian city offers beautiful beach resorts, high temperatures and year-round sunshine. 5 5 TUI has announced it's reintroducing direct flights from East Midlands Airport to Sharm El Sheikh next year. The first flight is scheduled for Thursday, 26 March 2026 and the service will operate twice-weekly on Mondays and Thursdays - flight time will be five and a half hours. TUI UK&I Commercial Director Chris Logan said: "Due to strong customer demand, we are thrilled to once again connect the East Midlands with the stunning Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh. "With hundreds of amazing hotels to choose from and guaranteed sunshine, Sharm El Sheikh is the perfect destination for a summer holiday. "We have plenty of amazing all-inclusive deals with flexible flying options, and some of the best splash parks to entertain the kids'. During the summer months, temperatures in Sharm el Sheikh sit between 35 and 38C. Sharm el Sheikh is also a popular winter sun destination because its average temperature is 24C which is around 17C warmer than the UK for that time of year. It's not just flights, TUI also offers all-inclusive holiday packages to the resort. TUI offers a four-night holiday to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt staying at the 4T+ Rixos Sharm El Sheikh. An all-inclusive basis starts from £1237 per person. A bucket-list river cruise through Egyptian waterways with TUI 5 5 TUI offers a seven-night holiday to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt staying at the 5T TUI BLUE Sensatori Coral Sea. An all-inclusive basis here start from £1349 per person - which works out at £192.70 pp per night. Both are based on two adults sharing a room with flights leaving in summer 2026. Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt was once one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, particularly through the 1990s. It remained popular until 2015, when a terror attack on a Russian passenger plane killed all 224 onboard. Flights from the UK were stopped for four years, with TUI reintroducing holiday packages in 2019. This was following the UK Foreign Office issuing new guidance which said Sharm el-Sheikh was considered safe after the airport security was overhauled and updated. However, just a few months later Covid hit, meaning the holiday resort once again saw tourist levels drop. TUI reintroduced the route again in summer 2022, and summer 2023 due to the rise in popular demand. In recent years, Egypt has been named the 'best value for money' destination, according to the Post Office Travel Money analysis. On average, meals and drinks are significantly cheaper than in the UK. One Travel Writer stayed at the Egypt resort with the country's largest water park.
BBC News
32 minutes ago
- BBC News
British tourist, 21, faces drug charges after Thailand holiday
A 21-year-old woman is being held by police in Germany after allegedly travelling with cannabis from in Germany say Cameron Bradford, from Knebworth in Hertfordshire, was stopped and arrested at Munich Airport on 22 told BBC Newsbeat she's still in custody there although it's unclear what the next stage of the process will be. When Newsbeat asked the Foreign Office about Cameron's case, a spokesperson confirmed they're helping a British woman and her family too. The UK government says Thailand has strict laws against drug use, possession and trafficking and having even small quantities can lead to heavy fines and jail "low strength" weed has been legal there since 2022, Foreign Office advice says there have been cases of British nationals being arrested as they leave the country. In July last year, the government announced a partnership with Thai Customs to cut down a "surge" of illegal cannabis shipments to the UK since Thailand decriminalised the then, more than 50 British nationals have been arrested in Thailand for attempted cannabis smuggling. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Ground beef sold at Whole Foods may be tainted with E. coli, USDA says
U.S. agriculture officials are warning that ground beef sold at Whole Foods markets nationwide may be contaminated with potentially dangerous E. coli bacteria. Officials issued a public health alert for 1-pound, vacuum-packed packages of Organic Rancher beef, produced on May 22 and May 23, by NPC Processing Inc., of Shelburne, Vermont. The products have use-by dates of June 19 and June 20. The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service did not request a recall because the products are no longer available for purchase. However, they may still be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers. The meat was produced in Australia or Uruguay and processed in the U.S. It was sent to distributors in Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and Maryland and then to Whole Foods stores nationwide. The problem was discovered when company officials notified FSIS that they had shipped beef products that tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, a type of bacteria that can cause serious illness. To date, no illnesses linked to the product have been reported, officials said. Consumers who have the product should throw it away or return it to the store. E. coli bacteria can cause infections with symptoms that include dehydration, diarrhea and cramps. Most people recover within a week, but some people can become severely ill and develop a dangerous kidney condition. Children under age 5 and older adults are most at risk. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
