Presence of rapidly-spreading new Covid variant confirmed in NI
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned the new strain, named NB.1.8.1, currently accounts for just over 10% of global Covid infections.
Data produced by the Public Health Agency (PHA), has reported seven cases of the new variant within the last two months.
The strain was first detected in NI in the week commencing April 14, when five cases were identified, with a further case the following week and a seventh during the week beginning May 12.
NB.1.8.1 has been designated by the WHO as a 'variant under monitoring' due to its rapid global rise and its potential to avoid immunity from previous infections or vaccines.
It is currently the dominant variant across Hong Kong and China and has been detected in the US, Australia, Egypt, Thailand and the Maldives.
"Respiratory viruses like COVID-19 are still very much in circulation' – Rachel Spiers, PHA
WHO data indicates the strain has jumped from accounting for 2.5% of submitted global sequences to 10.7% in just four weeks, prompting international concern.
A WHO spokesperson said: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1.
"In February, circulation of XEC began to decline while that of LP.8.1 increased, with the latter becoming the most detected variant in mid-March. Since mid-April, the circulation of LP.8.1 has been slightly declining as NB.1.8.1 is increasingly being detected."
Experts have said the strain carries multiple mutations that may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains, but added there was no evidence it causes any more severe symptoms.
It is reported that the new variant triggers gastrointestinal symptoms – nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and heartburn – in some patients, a shift from the respiratory symptoms of earlier strains.
It comes after the PHA last week revealed more than half of those invited for the Covid-19 Spring vaccination are yet to come forward.
Some 42,457 vaccinations had been administered by May 11, with uptake highest among care home residents (34.8%) and those aged 75 years and over (24.8%).
The vaccine is also being offered to anyone aged six months and over who is immunosuppressed.
Rachel Spiers, Immunisation and Vaccination Programme Manager at the PHA, said: 'The Covid-19 spring vaccination programme will run until 30 June, so there is still time for the more vulnerable members of our community to top up their protection ahead of any potential waves of COVID-19 over the coming months.
"But they should not delay any further. Respiratory viruses like Covid-19 are still very much in circulation and they can be life threatening for the most vulnerable people in society.
News Catch Up - Monday 2nd June
"Residents in older adult care homes, adults who are 75 or over and people who are immunosuppressed are particularly vulnerable to complications from Covid-19.
'It is important to keep up to date with your vaccines, as viruses change and protection fades over time.
"The best way to protect yourself and others is through vaccination. I would urge everyone who falls into an eligible group to take up the offer of free vaccination.'
The latest vaccination programme closes on June 30.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Covid rates surge 97% as new infectious variant gains foothold in UK
A new strain of Covid has been discovered in the UK as rates of positive tests have soared 97% since the beginning of March. NB.1.8.1 COVID-19 variant, sometimes referred to as the Nimbus variant, has been detected in at least 12 cases so far in Britain. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said Nimbus is making up a "growing proportion" of Covid cases worldwide. Latest UKHSA data up shows a 97% increase overall in the number of positive Covid tests since, with 6.1% of people giving a reading for the virus on June 1 compared to just 3.21% at on March 1. Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam, UKHSA's deputy director, said the agency was monitoring Nimbus. She said: "UKHSA is monitoring all available data relating to SARS-CoV-2 variants in the UK and abroad, and we continue to publish our findings in our regular Flu and Covid-19 surveillance reports. "NB.1.8.1 has been detected in small numbers in the UK to date, but international data suggests that it is growing as a proportion of all Covid-19 cases." People testing positive, or who are suffering symptoms of a respiratory infection, are advised to avoid contact with vulnerable people and stay at home if possible. Symptoms include a high temperature and not feeling well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities. A statement from the UKHSA added: "The most important thing to do is to get your vaccination when it is due if you're eligible. "It's normal for viruses to mutate and change, and as more data becomes available on this variant, we'll have a better understanding of how it interacts with our immune systems and how to optimise our protection, as well as actions we can take to keep the most vulnerable safe and live our lives as normally as possible." The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the new Nimbus strain accounted for just over 10% of all global cases in May. '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. It's a sub-variant of Omicron, says Dr Chun Tang, GP at Pall Mall Medical. '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.'
The Independent
19 hours ago
- The Independent
Covid surge in Asia sparks concern about emergence of more infectious variants
India, Thailand, Indonesia, and several other countries in Asia have seen a surge in Covid cases since mid-May, sparking concerns about the emergence of more infectious variants of the novel coronavirus. India, which currently has more than 5,700 active Covid cases, reported four deaths from the infection over the last 24 hours. Although hospitalisations due to Covid remain low, India's health ministry is urging the public to remain careful, get tested quickly when symptoms appear, and continue to use masks in crowded spaces. In Thailand, hundreds of Covid patients have required hospitalisation since the beginning of June, while at least one has succumbed to the virus. The country reported 28,300 cases over just the first two days of this month, with the Bangkok metropolitan area accounting for the bulk of them. According to the Department of Disease Control, at least 70 people have died from Covid in the Southeast Asian country so far in 2025, mostly in large cities. The death rate has hovered around 0.106 per 100,000 people, suggesting the virus has not become deadlier. Indonesia has advised its healthcare institutions to remain vigilant and boost Covid surveillance amid a surge in infections attributed to new highly transmissible but less deadly variants of the coronavirus. "Cases are indeed increasing, but the rise is caused by variants that are relatively less deadly,' health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told reporters earlier this week. Health authorities are monitoring Omicron subvariants LF.7 and NB.1.8.1 for driving the ongoing surge in infections in Asia. These strains are not yet labelled as variants of concern but are only suspected to be causing an increase in Covid cases. The NB.1.8.1 subvariant has previously been reported in Thailand, Australia, China, Britain and the US. It's already known to be a recombinant virus formed from the merging of two coronavirus variants. Lara Herrero, a virologist from Griffith University in Australia, suspects that NB.1.8.1 spread more easily than other variants. Studies of the variant on cultured laboratory tissues reveal that the new strain has the strongest ability to bind to human cell receptors, facilitating its entry into cells. 'Using lab-based models, researchers found NB.1.8.1 had the strongest binding affinity to the human ACE2 receptor of several variants tested, suggesting it may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains,' Dr Herrero wrote last month in The Conversation. Fatigue, sore throat, nasal congestion, and gut discomfort are widely reported to be the main symptoms of infection by the new strains. According to the World Health Organisation, current Covid vaccines should protect against severe symptoms caused by the newly reported variants. In India, though, nearly 50 per cent of the new infections are still caused by the older JN.1 strain, according to data from the country's SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium. Most people who get infected experience only mild symptoms that disappear on their own or with over-the-counter drugs such as cough medicines, analgesics and decongestants. However, vulnerable groups such as the elderly or those with comorbid conditions are being urged to seek hospital care if symptoms appear. Healthcare experts urge infected individuals experiencing shortness of breath, extreme fatigue or blood oxygen levels below 95 per cent to immediately seek medical attention.
Wales Online
19 hours ago
- Wales Online
Two new Covid-19 variants are spreading through Wales with cases multiplying week on week
Two new Covid-19 variants are spreading through Wales with cases multiplying week on week Public Health Wales has issued advice as two new Covid variants circulate Public Health Wales has urged for all eligible people to continue to receive Covid-19 vaccinations after data released by them has shown two new variants sweep through Wales within the past five weeks. This news comes after a variant named NB.1.8.1 made headlines more than five years after the initial outbreak of the virus that put the world on pause. The new strain now accounts for just over 10% of global infections with cases now confirmed in Northern Ireland and Wales. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. While there is no evidence that the new strain causes more severe symptoms, experts have said that it can infect cells more efficiently and can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, and nausea. Only four cases of the NB.1.8.1 have identified in Wales so it is not necessarily the variant anyone should worry about. Data shows that variants XFB and XFG are the ones sweeping through our nation as confirmed cases of this strain have grown by 52.5% within a timeframe of 28 days. Article continues below Variants XFB and XFG made up 60% of all Covid-19 cases in Wales on May 19. Just five weeks earlier, on April 21, they accounted for only 7.5% of infections. Healthcare professionals say this acts as a reminder that the virus has not gone away and that those considered vulnerable will continue to be seriously affected by these variants if necessary precautions are not taken. Dr Christopher Williams, consultant epidemiologist for Public Health Wales, said: 'The emergence of the XFB and XFG variants are a reminder that Covid-19 has not gone away and it is still important to take precautions if you develop symptoms such as fever, persistent cough, or loss of smell or taste, in particular to avoid spreading the virus to vulnerable people who can be severely affected. Article continues below 'There is no evidence to suggest that these new variants are any more or less severe than other previous variants and the vaccine is effective against them. 'If you are in an eligible group and have received an invitation for a Covid vaccination please take it up as it remains the most effective way to avoid serious symptoms from Covid.'
