New COVID subvariant cases detected in Washington
More than a dozen cases of a new COVID-19 subvariant — NB.1.8.1 — have been detected in Washington, according to federal surveillance data.
Why it matters: The variant has been gaining ground globally, according to the World Health Organization, and first appeared in the U.S. in March and April.
Driving the news: Fourteen cases of NB.1.8.1 have been genetically sequenced in Washington based on global tracking data as of last week, according to an emailed statement from the Washington Department of Health.
The earliest sample was collected on April 7, and the most recent on May 20, per DOH.
One of the cases was detected in a traveler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after the person voluntarily provided a nasal swab on May 15 for the CDC's variant tracking program, the Washington State Standard reported.
State of play: Washington's ability to spot new COVID variants early is more limited than in past years due to a steep drop in community testing and a shift toward at-home antigen tests, DOH said Monday in an emailed statement.
Thirteen of the 14 detections came from Ginkgo Bioworks, which screens travelers at Sea-Tac for the CDC.
One case was flagged by the U.S. Air Force School of Medicine.
It's unclear in all 14 detections whether the individuals live in Washington or spent time in the state after testing, per DOH.
Threat level: NB.1.8.1 has been flagged by WHO as a variant under monitoring because of its rising spread, but health officials say the public risk remains low, with no signs of increased disease severity.
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