What to know about the new ‘Nimbus' COVID variant
The World Health Organization (WHO) is keeping an eye on a new COVID-19 variant called NB.1.8.1, or 'Nimbus,' that has spread across Europe, the Americas and the Western Pacific.
Nimbus is a descendant of the Omicron variant of the virus and was first identified in late January.
Its spike mutations appear to make it more transmissible than other COVID-19 variants, according to the WHO. Spike mutations refer to changes in spike proteins, which sit on the surface of the virus and help it enter healthy cells.
While it is spreading in the U.S. and Canada, along with 20 other countries, it does not appear to be driving an increase in sickness or hospitalization.
In April, NB.1.8.1 sequences made up 10.7 percent of all submitted sequences from confirmed COVID infections, up from 2.5 percent a month earlier, according to a risk evaluation released by the WHO.
The WHO last month deemed NB.1.8.1 a variant 'under monitoring.' Here's what to know about the variant.
Most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. still stem from the LP.8.1 strain, another Omicron descendant. But it looks like NB.1.8.1 might soon replace it as the more common strain, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC estimates that 37 percent of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. stem from the NB.1.8.1 variant, while 38 percent are a result from an infection of the LP.8.1 strain of the disease. At the end of May, the agency estimated the NB.1.8.1 variant caused about 15 percent of all COVID-19 cases.
But the agency notes on its website that due to low numbers of virus sequences being reported, precision in the most recent reporting period is low.
The NB.1.8.1 variant has been found in at least 13 states, according to Today, which cited data from the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database.
Those states are: California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Arizona, Illinois, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.
The available data on 'Nimbus' suggests it poses a low global threat and that existing COVID-19 vaccines provide adequate protection against severe illness and hospitalization, according to the WHO.
'Currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease,' the WHO's risk evaluation reads. 'Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations 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.'
Lionel Gresh, an international consultant at the WHO, told The Hill that many new cases in Canada are likely linked to the NB.1.8.1 variant, but that there has not been any major changes in the country in terms of cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions or deaths linked to COVID-19.
Symptoms of NB.1.8.1 seem to be similar to those associated with other Omicron variants, according to Gresh.
Some common COVID-19 symptoms include cough, fever, fatigue, muscle aches, congestion, headache, nausea, vomiting, and a new loss of smell or taste, according to the CDC.
'We should be as concerned about [NB.1.8.1] as we are concerned for COVID in general,' Gresh said. 'Not more, not less.'
Some recent COVID-19 patients have reported experiencing something called 'razor blade throat,' according to Salon.
But it is unclear if that symptom is connected to one of the COVID variants or another respiratory illness circulating, Ryan Gregory, an evolutionary and genome biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada, told Salon.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Medscape
36 minutes ago
- Medscape
US CDC Restores Jobs for 450 Laid-off Employees
(Reuters) -The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reinstating some 450 employees laid off under the Trump administration's massive reduction of the federal workforce, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday. The employees had worked for the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, the National Center for Environmental Health, the Immediate Office of the Director and the Global Health Center (GHC), according to Fox News. A spokesperson for the Health and Human Services (HHS) Department, which oversees the CDC, confirmed the report. Their work includes oversight of lead poisoning prevention, toxic chemical spills, air quality as well as global disease surveillance, according to the CDC's website. Many of the employees were part of the mass layoffs of 10,000 staffers at U.S. health agencies announced in April by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk to shrink the federal government and slash spending. Some 2,400 CDC jobs were slated for cuts under the plan. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr later said that some of those roles would be reinstated after an outcry over the potential for increased risks to public health. In an email from Thomas Nagy of HHS seen by Reuters, employees were told that their reduction in force or RIF notices had been revoked and that they should contact their immediate supervisor with questions. Some of the reinstated employees were from the CDC's Lead Poisoning Prevention and Surveillance Branch, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. That program had been scheduled to be included in a new HHS division called the Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; editing by Michele Gershberg and Diane Craft)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
West Coast governors condemn Kennedy's removal of CDC vaccine advisors, reaffirm support of science
The governors of California, Oregon, and Washington released a joint statement Thursday condemning U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for dismissing all members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, and Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson expressed 'grave concerns' about the abrupt removal of ACIP's members, describing the move as 'deeply troubling for the health of the nation.' The governors emphasized that their states remain committed to following scientific guidance in public health policy, particularly in the area of immunizations. 'Together, our states depend on the best science and knowledge available to protect public health, including scientific information about immunizations,' the governors said in the joint statement. 'We have grave concerns about the integrity and transparency of upcoming federal vaccine recommendations and will continue to collaborate to ensure that science and sound medicine prevail to prevent any loss of life.' Kennedy defended the dismissals by claiming that the ACIP members were contributing to a 'crisis of public trust.' ACIP, however, has served for more than 60 years as the CDC's primary advisory group on vaccine recommendations. Its members include physicians, public health experts, and academics with deep experience in immunization science. Many of the ousted members, current and past, have worked for state public health agencies, including those in California, Oregon, and Washington. Members are vetted for conflicts of interest and selected through a rigorous nomination process. The move comes less than three weeks before ACIP's next scheduled meeting. Health officials in the three states criticized the timing and potential consequences for national vaccine policy. All three states continue to recommend that individuals 6 months and older have access to authorized COVID-19 vaccines, especially those at higher risk, including infants, pregnant individuals, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions. The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup — established during the pandemic by the three states — remains active and will continue evaluating vaccine safety and effectiveness alongside medical experts and professional organizations.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
From heartbreak to hope; suicide loss survivor says 'You are not alone'
FARMERSBURG, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — According to the CDC in 2023, suicide was the second leading cause of death among those ages 10 to 34. Losing a loved one to suicide is a pain that's nearly impossible to put into words. But in Sullivan County, one couple is doing just that—finding the words, sharing their story, and helping others find hope again. It's a mission born out of heartbreak and now, healing. On the county road next to Westlawn Cemetery in Farmersburg, Mike Frey spins the tires against the pavement in the truck he and his son, Cade, once restored together. They call them 'Burnouts for Cade.' A cloud of smoke. A roar of horsepower. A father's way of saying, I love you, I miss you. 'It has helped us grieve'; loved ones share the silver lining of organ donation after loss 'Cade was my son,' Mike said. 'He passed away from suicide, November 24, 2020. He had just graduated from high school at Sullivan. An amazing young man, he was a race car driver at the quarter midget track in Terre Haute, he loved motocross, he loved making people laugh and smile more.' Mike went on to describe his last interactions with his son and talked about the plans he had for the year. 'We did not see this coming,' he said as a silence fell over him. 'No one saw this coming.' Cade Frey took his life the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. 'I remember that day when I found him,' Mike said. 'There was nothing else we could've done for Cade,' Mike said as he was overcome with emotion. 'There was just nothing they could do.' Cade's organs were donated, and he saved five lives. But his absence left a void that Mike and his companion Rebecca are still learning to live with. 'I go by every single morning, by the graveside, and tell my son good morning, and try to go by every single evening and tell him goodnight,' Mike said. Their journey led them to Team of Mercy, a nonprofit based in Terre Haute that helps those left behind after losing a loved one to suicide. Snow angels made to honor life of Sullivan High School student 'We went to our first meeting in Terre Haute and have been going ever since for the last five years, every month,' he said. The couple now leads Team of Mercy's monthly survivor support group in Sullivan. 'It's just a place we can connect with others in Sullivan who are going through the same thing we are,' Mike said. 'Being around people who have experienced what you've gone through and what you've lost is very, very important because then you realize that you aren't alone, that you are sharing this with other people,' Rebecca said. 'I honestly feel if we didn't have Team of Mercy helping us through all of this, I'm not so sure we would get out of bed some days,' she added. Christina Crist knows that pain all too well. She lost her daughter Hannah to suicide in 2013 and became one of the driving forces behind Team of Mercy. 'Hannah, at the time of her death, was 15 years old, a sophomore at South High School. It had rocked our community's world to know that a 15-year-old, let alone thought about suicide, but actually took her life,' Christna said. Christina described Hannah as tears filled her eyes, 'A fun-loving kid. Charismatic, loving, caring,' she said. 'Kids described her as someone who, if they would be having a bad day and Hannah would notice that and do whatever she could to make sure they were going to have a better day.' A decade later, Christina's grief hasn't faded — but it has evolved. And through her pain, she's found a purpose. 'You will never ever, ever get over this,' Christina said. 'You're not supposed to. But what we learn to do is live in it. We learn to thrive in it, we learn to go on, we figure out how to still hold a piece of our loved ones.' For Christina, it's white butterflies. She spotted one when she sat down for this interview. She said the butterflies may have always been there, but it was after her daughter's death that she started noticing them. 'For almost 13 years, my other daughter and I, whenever we see a white butterfly, we say 'Hi Hannah.' Do I really think that's Hannah in that butterfly?' she questioned. 'No. No. But we find ways to bring joy in such absolute gut-wrenching pain. And if it's a white butterfly, 'Hi Hannah, hi.' And with every story shared—every burnout, every butterfly, every meeting—these survivors are making sure that their loved ones' stories never fade. 'I've lost my son, I can't feel any worse than I do,' Mike says as he chokes up. He takes a moment and then continues. 'There is nothing you could do to me to make me feel any worse after losing him. But if I could help one family from feeling that way, another family, that's all I want,' he added. As the white smoke from the burnout rises across the cemetery and over Cade's gravestone, so does Mike's message, 'You are not alone.' If you've lost a loved one to suicide, Team of Mercy wants you to know that you don't have to walk that journey alone. Mike and Rebecca host the Suicide Loss Support Group in Sullivan on the third Monday of each month from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Abundant Grace Church. It's located at 671 W Wolfe St., behind Walmart in Sullivan. The next meeting is happening on Monday, June 16. For more information on Team of Mercy, click here. If you are experiencing mental health-related distress or are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by clicking here. You can also text or call the hotline by dialing 988. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
