What you need to know about the NB. 1. 8. 1 COVID-19 variant
A new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, has become the dominant strain in China
A new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, has become the dominant strain in China and is beginning to surface internationally, prompting public health experts and global agencies to issue fresh warnings and vaccine guidance.
A variant on the rise
The NB.1.8.1 is a descendant of the Omicron lineage and was first identified in April 2025 in travellers from China and several other countries, including France, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand, according to data from GISAID.
It is now fueling a surge in hospitalisations and emergency visits in China.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the variant was detected through random airport testing in travellers arriving in the United States since late March, with cases now reported in California, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated NB.1.8.1 as a 'variant under monitoring.'
What makes NB.1.8.1 different?
Although symptoms like sore throat, fever, cough, and fatigue mirror previous variants, NB.1.8.1 carries genetic changes that allow it to infect cells more efficiently—potentially making it more transmissible. So far, it does not appear to cause more severe illness.
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