Highly infectious new Covid strain hits three holiday hotspots as WHO issues alert
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a warning over a surge in Covid cases, with the new variant now accounting for more than 10 percent of all infections. The WHO has labelled the new strain NB.
1.8. 1 as a 'variant under monitoring' due to concerns about the sharp increase in cases.
By the end of April 2025, NB. 1.8.1 made up approximately 10.7 percent of all submitted sequences – a significant rise from just 2.5% four weeks prior. It is already the dominant strain in Hong Kong and China.
Lara Herrero, Associate Professor and Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease at Griffith University, stated that thanks to multiple mutations, the new strain 'may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains', reports the Mirror.
The strain has been identified in several countries, including Australia, the US and potentially the UK.
"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."
According to a WHO report: "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."
The region with the highest reported cases is the Eastern Mediterranean, including popular tourist spots like Egypt, as well as Southeast Asia, specifically in Thailand and the Maldives.
However, The WHO said recent increases have also been observed in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
WHO officials recommend 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."
The recommendations also stated that "Based on the current risk assessment of this event, WHO advises against imposing travel or trade restrictions."
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