Latest news with #DeakinUniversity
Sky News AU
2 days ago
- Health
- Sky News AU
'Becoming the dominant strain': New sub variant of Covid-19 wreaking havoc as epidemiologist encourages vaccinations amid rising infections
A distinguished epidemiologist has issued a warning over a new strain of Covid-19 as infection rates in Australia continue to rise. Omicron strain subvariant NB.1.8.1 is spreading fast in Queensland, which has seen a sudden spike in the number of people infected with Covid-19. A report by Queensland Health said 671 people were diagnosed with the disease in the week ending May 25, which was an 18 per cent increase from the week prior. There had been 15,693 notified cases of Covid-19 in the state since the beginning of this year according to the report, meaning an average of over 100 new cases per day. There were 54 people in hospital with the disease in Queensland as of Sunday, and the health authority reported 3,388 hospitalised cases between January 1 and May 25. The strain is also the most dominant variant in wastewater samples taken in Perth, while it makes up less than 10 per cent of cases in South Australia, and more than 40 per cent in Victoria. Deakin University distinguished professor and chair in epidemiology Catherine Bennett said NB.1.81. is a sub-variant, related to the JN.1 family of variants and was first reported in January 2025. "It's quickly becoming the dominant strain in both northern and southern hemispheres and will be the variant responsible for our next wave that's on our doorstep," she told "The variant doesn't seem to cause more severe disease but it has a different combination of mutations on the spike protein that make it less recognisable to our immune system and is also better at latching onto receptors in our respiratory linings, making it more infectious. "So those two things together, better able to escape our immune response and more infectious, means will spread quickly and replace older variants." Professor Bennett said Covid vaccines will still be effective in protecting against "severe disease" as it still targets the JN.1 family of variants. She urged more vulnerable people to stay up to date with their vaccines to prevent serious illness. "People over 65 are encouraged to stay up to date with a booster each year, two if over 75, and now is the best time to have it if due as this will then have time to build protection at the start of this wave and provide some protection through the wave which usually lasts 6-8 weeks. People who are immunocompromised should also check their booster status," she said. "Because we had a quiet summer wave most other adults won't have had the same natural boosting as in previous years, so (they) might also want to consider having a booster if it's been a while since they had an infection. "(There's) a few nasty bugs around already with RSV rates in try rise and rhinovirus causing some nasty colds, so also time to be aware of our own symptoms and trying not to spread infections ourselves, whatever virus it is."
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1: Everything you need to know about the new dominant strain and how our vaccines will hold up
A new COVID-19 variant is drawing global attention due to its rapid spread worldwide. The variant — NB.1.8.1 — is set to become the dominant strain in Australia. However, because it has mutated from known variants, the nation's vaccines are still expected to offer decent protection. NB.1.8.1 is already the dominant strain in Western Australia, according to wastewater surveillance reports. 'It's taking off pretty quickly,' Deakin University Professor and Epidemiology Chair Catherine Bennett told 'It is related to variants that we've seen, it looks like two of them have kind of combined, but it has some new mutations as well.' These mutations have two key effects. First, the variant appears different enough from previous strains that our immune systems don't immediately recognize it. This means it can evade the immune defences developed through earlier infections or vaccinations, Bennett explained. Second, the mutations improve the variant's ability to bind to receptors in the mucosal linings of the human body. 'It just means if you're exposed, you're more likely to catch it,' Bennett said. 'People just need to be aware of infection where they can, and avoid spreading it where they can — if they've got symptoms, no matter what it is, it's not the time to socialise.' NB.1.8.1 is a descendant from Omicron JN.1 — the same strain targeted by current vaccines. 'It was wise that they invested in vaccines that were trailing along that JN.1 family,' Bennett told 'While the vaccine is not perfectly matched to this sub-variant, there is enough relationship with the JN.1 strain that is in the vaccine, that allows us to still have an effective vaccine.' Perfect storm for a spike in cases This winter marks Australia's fifth with COVID-19 — though the worst impacts occurred in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In recent months, Australians have relaxed their attitudes toward the virus, buoyed by a seasonal reprieve from high infection rates — a reprieve that has also lowered overall immunity. That complacency is one of several factors creating a perfect storm for a surge in cases: winter, waning immunity, immune evasion by the new variant, and its high transmissibility. 'All those things lining up together suggest that we might be in for a bigger winter wave, possibly even than we saw last year,' Bennett said. 'It could be the first time in a year that we see COVID really starting to impact people,' she said. Bennett noted that right now, 'is the first time that people in ICU with COVID-19 has dropped to the level it has.' These ICU rates are the lowest since 2021 — but they are expected to rise again this winter. 'The more we can do to help reduce spreading the virus around, then the better off we'll be,' Bennett said. At the height of the pandemic in Australia, deaths from COVID-19 were ten times higher than those from the flu. 'That's dropped, but it is still five times higher than the flu. So COVID-19 is still to be taken seriously,' Bennett said. 'Not more severe than the last' The World Health Organisation recently evaluated NB.1.8.1 as a 'low risk' variant overall. That classification reflects comparisons with previous, more severe strains, but also considers current levels of population immunity and treatment availability. 'It can still make some people very sick, but it's not more severe than the last strains we've seen,' Bennett said. 'The other thing the World Health Organisation looks at, is whether the treatments we have still work, that our testing measures still work, that all of that is still okay — and it is,' she said. 'Actually having a booster shot at the start of a wave gives you the best coverage you can have through those next six to eight weeks, which is how long a wave will take.' She urged people over 65 to review their vaccination status, and reminded adults over 18 that they remain eligible for boosters. 'It pays to think about whether you've had an infection, and whether actually a booster might not be a bad thing at this stage.'
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
New infectious COVID-19 strain to dominate Australia in 'matter of weeks'
Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI: Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI: Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI: Australia is battling an outbreak of a new, more infectious COVID-19 variant. The World Health Organisation has placed the NB.1.8.1 strain on its alert list, warning it is "increasing" globally. The strain is a sublineage of the Omicron coronavirus variant and descends from the JN1 variant. NB.1.8.1 has been in Australia since April and is the most common strain found in sewage in Western Australia and NSW. Health authorities say this sublineage is increasing within the community in line with global trends. On May 30, there were 1023 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, according to the covidlive website. Deakin University chair of epidemiology Professor Catherine Bennett told ACM it was a "matter of weeks" before the strain was "everywhere". "We had a reasonably quiet summer, and even winter waves in the northern hemisphere are less than we have seen in recent years, so it is not surprising that a new variant could trigger a substantial wave just as we go into our winter," she said. READ MORE: It's one of the nasty ones': actor Magda Szubanski reveals cancer diagnosis Professor Bennett said NB. 1.8.1 was closely monitored because it had acquired "additional mutations compared to the J1 strains". "This makes it better at evading our immune response, and it seems to be very good at binding onto the human receptors that make it more infectious overall," she said. The strain wasn't appearing to cause more severe illness, she said. NB. 1.8.1 presents similarly to other respiratory illnesses, so it was important to "listen to your own symptoms" and to avoid socialising and work from home if you were unwell, Professor Bennett said. Federal health minister Mark Butler encouraged people to consider a COVID-19 booster. "I do encourage, particularly as we head into winter, for people to think about the last time they got a COVID vaccine," he told ABC radio on May 30. He said "people over 75 should have one every six months, for those 65 to 74, they should have a booster every 12 months". The latest advice from ATAGI:
ABC News
5 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
New research links severe period pain to depression
Girls with painful periods are twice as likely as their peers to have symptoms of anxiety or depression. A new study from Deakin University has found period pain often leads to psychological distress. ABC NewsRadio's Tamara Wearne spoke with Dr Marilla Druitt, a Geelong based obstetrician and gynaecologist and affiliate lecturer at Deakin University about this shift in cause and effect, and what can be done to help young women.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Country Road, Deakin University transform low-grade merino wool
Country Road's collaboration, named as 'Mud to Marle', could lead to the production of clothing in Australia using native fibres, according to Christopher Hurren, associate professor for fibre science and technology at Deakin University's Institute for Frontier Materials Fibres and Textiles. The Mud to Marle initiative aims to validate the feasibility of complete domestic production and has conducted experimental trials at Deakin University's Future Fibres Facility within IFM. The project is facilitated by Full Circle Fibres and textile manufacturer Loomtex with funds from the Country Road Climate Fund. The researchers have collaborated with Loomtex to demonstrate the possibility of spinning low-value wool into fine yarn that is suitable for use in fashion. Despite its reputation for high-quality wool, Australia lacks extensive commercial-scale processing infrastructure for raw fibre, says IFM. 'Deakin University is at the forefront of cotton processing and spinning innovation in Australia and has an array of textile processing equipment. During the project we wanted to explore methods that reduce resource use while still delivering a viable, high-quality textile product. One of the ways we did this was by dyeing only the wool fibres within the wool-cotton blend, reducing water and energy consumption in this process. The project shows the potential to produce garments in Australia with Australian fibres,' associate professor Christopher Hurren explained. Full Circle Fibres owners and founder Meriel Chamberlin noted that approximately 3% to 5% of Merino fleece comprises short strands called locks, which are generally seen as less valuable than longer fibres and are often used in coarser textiles. 'In our project, we sourced locks from South Australia and blended the fibres with cotton from Queensland. The wool cotton blend yarn we've created is finer than yarn normally made with locks. We wanted to explore methods that reduce resource use while still delivering a viable, high-quality textile product,' Chamberlin said. This endeavour has led to an additional AUS$300,000 ($193,000) investment over three years for an industry partnership to expedite Deakin's research into wool-cotton products. Chamberlain stated: 'The commercial spinning capacity in Australia is incredibly limited, but the learnings from this project have helped demonstrate demand and investment potential. There is growing momentum to revive Australia's textile manufacturing capabilities.' The partners have already created prototype garments using the Mud to Marle wool-cotton blend including tshirts, jumpers, pants. "Country Road, Deakin University transform low-grade merino wool" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
