Latest news with #NB1.8.1
CTV News
3 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
A new COVID-19 subvariant has emerged. Here is why experts in Ontario say there is no reason to panic
A new subvariant of COVID-19 that has been circulating in some parts of the world for months has now made its way to the United States but experts say that there is no cause for concern just yet. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), NB.1.8.1 derives from the recombinant variant XDV.1.5.1 and is one of six current 'variants under monitoring' due to its mutations and global spread. Dr. Fahad Razak, Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto and internal medicine physician at St. Michael's Hospital, tells CTV News Toronto that a variant under monitoring—or a VUM—is different from variant of concerns, which often resulted in an exponential rise in transmission when they emerged and quickly became dominant during the pandemic. The key difference between both variant types, Razak says, is that VUMs will likely not swamp the health-care system or cause more severe illness like variants of concern will. 'Over the last couple of years, despite seeing many mutations, we have not had a new variant of concern emerge and this current variant, NB.1.8.1 is being called a variant (under) monitoring, meaning that it is clearly spreading, but it is not showing any of those concerning features that make us more worried,' Razak said. Here's what we know about the new subvariant so far: What is NB.1.8.1? The WHO says NB.1.8.1 has been detected in 22 countries as of May 18. This represented 10.7 per cent of COVID cases seen worldwide in the last full week of April, which the WHO says is a notable rise from the 2.5 per cent noted in the first week of April. Compared to other co-circulating variants, the number of cases related to NB.1.8.1 is growing faster—however, the WHO notes its expansion has only recently started to rise and that some regions have not yet detected it. Has it made its way to Ontario? Based on the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), which breaks down the percentage of COVID-19 cases by variant grouping on a weekly basis, there are no cases of NB.1.8.1. recorded in the country. Both Bogoch and Razak say it is likely the new variant will make its way here eventually but Razak notes Canada does not provide a 'reliable estimate across the country anymore.' 'We used to do regular testing for sequence across the country. They would be coordinated by public health labs in each province and then collated federally,' Razak said. 'That was done during the peak of the pandemic and (had) a lot of value in helping us understand the degree of spread, especially when we had these variants of concern.' If there was a new variant that showed more severe disease, a high degree of spread or evading the vaccine, Razak thinks many parts of the world would be vulnerable since the level of monitoring is not what it used to be. 'We don't have the level of uptake of vaccines that we had two or three years ago, and so those factors would mean you could have something spread and you would have lower levels of protection, and so you could have a lot of people sick,' Razak said. But, Razak says, that there hasn't been a major variant of concern in years. Public Health Ontario tells CTV News Toronto that, to date, this variant has not been included in its reporting but note its next report will be published next week. Toronto Public Health, meanwhile, does not break down what variants of COVID-19 are seen in in the city. It does provide general data for how prevalent the virus is at this time. The latest epidemiological data from TPH shows a 1.8 per cent positivity rate from May 11 to May 17, showing the activity levels of the virus are currently 'low.' Are the symptoms any different? Bogoch says the symptoms from NB.1.8.1. are similar to what one would get if they contracted any Omicron sub-lineage in the last three years, which could cause fever, fatigue, cough, and shortness of breath. 'There's a well-trodden path of who's at greater risk for more severe manifestations of the virus, namely, people on the older end of the spectrum and people with underlying medical comorbidities,' Bogoch said. 'So, it doesn't sound like, apart from a subtle genetic change, it doesn't sound like there's anything new about this (variant) in terms of clinical presentation, risk factors for severity of illness (and) transmission.' The guidance on how to protect yourself also remains unchanged, Razak says. 'When you have periods like this, like, let's say we have started to see a high degree of spread in Canada, the advice that we've given the last few years would hold just as strongly. If your vaccine hasn't been updated, update your vaccine,' Razak said. Masking in crowded places, frequently washing hands and enhancing air circulation when indoors are also other methods to prevent the virus from spreading between person to person. What if you haven't had a recent vaccine? Bogoch says that, for some time now, the COVID-19 vaccines 'doesn't protect against infection nearly to the same extent as it once did.' 'The vaccines can provide a little bit of protection against infection for a short period of time—they can—but the real role of the vaccine is to significantly reduce the risk of severe illness that is primarily in those with risk factors for severe illness,' Bogoch said. 'Long are the days where the vaccine was a formidable force in preventing infection and subsequent onward transmission. We haven't been that era in years.' The vaccine can reduce the risk of infection but after about six months, its protection starts to wane, Razak says. 'Our National Advisory Committee on Immunization, they have continued to say that high-risk individuals—for example, older individuals, people who are immunosuppressed, people who are being treated for rheumatologic illness or cancer where their immune systems are notworking—they would benefit from getting their updates every six months,' Razak said.
CTV News
17 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
A new COVID subvariant has emerged. Here is why experts in Ontario say there is no reason to panic.
A new subvariant of COVID-19 that has been circulating in some parts of the world for months has now made its way to the United States but experts say that there is no cause for concern just yet. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), NB.1.8.1 derives from the recombinant variant XDV.1.5.1 and is one of six current 'variants under monitoring' due to its mutations and global spread. Dr. Fahad Razak, Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto and internal medicine physician at St. Michael's Hospital, tells CTV News Toronto that a variant under monitoring—or a VUM—is different from variant of concerns, which often resulted in an exponential rise in transmission when they emerged and quickly became dominant during the pandemic. The key difference between both variant types, Razak says, is that VUMs will likely not swamp the health-care system or cause more severe illness like variants of concern will. 'Over the last couple of years, despite seeing many mutations, we have not had a new variant of concern emerge and this current variant, NB.1.8.1 is being called a variant (under) monitoring, meaning that it is clearly spreading, but it is not showing any of those concerning features that make us more worried,' Razak said. Here's what we know about the new subvariant so far: What is NB.1.8.1? The WHO says NB.1.8.1 has been detected in 22 countries as of May 18. This represented 10.7 per cent of COVID cases seen worldwide in the last full week of April, which the WHO says is a notable rise from the 2.5 per cent noted in the first week of April. Compared to other co-circulating variants, the number of cases related to NB.1.8.1 is growing faster—however, the WHO notes its expansion has only recently started to rise and that some regions have not yet detected it. Has it made its way to Ontario? Based on the latest data from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), which breaks down the percentage of COVID-19 cases by variant grouping on a weekly basis, there are no cases of NB.1.8.1. recorded in the country. Both Bogoch and Razak say it is likely the new variant will make its way here eventually but Razak notes Canada does not provide a 'reliable estimate across the country anymore.' 'We used to do regular testing for sequence across the country. They would be coordinated by public health labs in each province and then collated federally,' Razak said. 'That was done during the peak of the pandemic and (had) a lot of value in helping us understand the degree of spread, especially when we had these variants of concern.' If there was a new variant that showed more severe disease, a high degree of spread or evading the vaccine, Razak thinks many parts of the world would be vulnerable since the level of monitoring is not what it used to be. 'We don't have the level of uptake of vaccines that we had two or three years ago, and so those factors would mean you could have something spread and you would have lower levels of protection, and so you could have a lot of people sick,' Razak said. But, Razak says, that there hasn't been a major variant of concern in years. Public Health Ontario tells CTV News Toronto that, to date, this variant has not been included in its reporting but note its next report will be published next week. Toronto Public Health, meanwhile, does not break down what variants of COVID-19 are seen in in the city. It does provide general data for how prevalent the virus is at this time. The latest epidemiological data from TPH shows a 1.8 per cent positivity rate from May 11 to May 17, showing the activity levels of the virus are currently 'low.' Are the symptoms any different? Bogoch says the symptoms from NB.1.8.1. are similar to what one would get if they contracted any Omicron sub-lineage in the last three years, which could cause fever, fatigue, cough, and shortness of breath. 'There's a well-trodden path of who's at greater risk for more severe manifestations of the virus, namely, people on the older end of the spectrum and people with underlying medical comorbidities,' Bogoch said. 'So, it doesn't sound like, apart from a subtle genetic change, it doesn't sound like there's anything new about this (variant) in terms of clinical presentation, risk factors for severity of illness (and) transmission.' The guidance on how to protect yourself also remains unchanged, Razak says. 'When you have periods like this, like, let's say we have started to see a high degree of spread in Canada, the advice that we've given the last few years would hold just as strongly. If your vaccine hasn't been updated, update your vaccine,' Razak said. Masking in crowded places, frequently washing hands and enhancing air circulation when indoors are also other methods to prevent the virus from spreading between person to person. What if you haven't had a recent vaccine? Bogoch says that, for some time now, the COVID-19 vaccines 'doesn't protect against infection nearly to the same extent as it once did.' 'The vaccines can provide a little bit of protection against infection for a short period of time—they can—but the real role of the vaccine is to significantly reduce the risk of severe illness that is primarily in those with risk factors for severe illness,' Bogoch said. 'Long are the days where the vaccine was a formidable force in preventing infection and subsequent onward transmission. We haven't been that era in years.' The vaccine can reduce the risk of infection but after about six months, its protection starts to wane, Razak says. 'Our National Advisory Committee on Immunization, they have continued to say that high-risk individuals—for example, older individuals, people who are immunosuppressed, people who are being treated for rheumatologic illness or cancer where their immune systems are notworking—they would benefit from getting their updates every six months,' Razak said.
RNZ News
19 hours ago
- Health
- RNZ News
Covid-19: New wave could be coming after 11-month reprieve
Professor Michael Baker says the new NB.1.8.1 is becoming dominant in a number of countries and would "almost certainly" do the same in New Zealand. Photo: Supplied to RNZ A sudden surge in Covid-19 detections - along with the emergence of a new, and what's thought to be more infectious, subvariant - should be a warning to take action, an epidemiologist says. NB.1.8.1 is now the dominant strain in China and Hong Kong. ABC News reports it is also driving up infections in Australia. Here, the latest available ESR wastewater testing to 11 May shows the sub-variant making up 21.6 percent of readings. Epidemiologist Michael Baker said it comes as overall Covid-19 detections surge . "We've had a long period when Covid levels have been relatively low in New Zealand. It's about 11 months since our last big wave, the sixth wave, in June last year." Baker said there were numerous surveillance systems giving an idea of how the virus was spreading, and most were not showing changes. However that was not the case for wastewater testing. "There's quite a striking spike in the wastewater samples and the positivity detected there. And numbers are really shooting up across the country, so for the first time in around 11 months we're seeing what looks like the beginning of a wave." Wastewater testing reveals a spike in Covid-19 cases nationally. Photo: Supplied / ESR Baker cautioned it was too early to see a clear picture and further results over the next week or two would help. "But I think it is a strong warning that we should be taking more action around Covid-19 in various ways." Baker said NB.1.8.1 was becoming dominant in a number of countries and it would "almost certainly" do the same in New Zealand. "We see many new subvariants and most of the time they're not translating at the moment into a rise in cases. "But that's why this one is different - we are seeing that early increase, but we're not seeing it in all the surveillance systems yet, so we just need to keep watching. "I think the message is very clear that we're moving into winter, we have got this rise in cases - and if anyone has been putting off getting their Covid-19 booster, now would be a good time to get it." Baker said health authorities should also be taking additional precautions in hospitals, residential care facilities in particular. He said the existing vaccine gave added protection against the new subvariant, which descended from a variant the vaccine is based on. "I think it's all adding up to a picture of the need to take precautions against this infection." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Gizmodo
21 hours ago
- General
- Gizmodo
Worrying Covid-19 Variant Hits the U.S. Just in Time for Summer
A new variant of covid-19, NB.1.8.1, is stirring up trouble. The variant, already linked to recent surges in parts of Asia, has now been spotted in the U.S. as well. The World Health Organization singled out the growing emergence of NB.1.8.1 in its latest status report on covid-19 Wednesday. Scientists have also recently detected NB.1.8.1 in California and other states. Though NB.1.8.1 isn't dramatically different from existing variants, the WHO warns that covid-19 remains a high public health risk. So far, fewer than 20 NB.1.8.1 cases in the U.S. have been reported, the CDC told NBC News this past Wednesday. But the variant is linked to a spike in cases and hospitalizations in other countries like China. And compared to other current variants, NB.1.8.1 may possess some mutations that could increase its transmissibility. The WHO first recognized NB.1.8.1 as a variant under monitoring last week, though it was first detected in late January. More recently, it's become an increasing threat. As of mid-May, just about 10% of all cases reported worldwide to the WHO have come from NB.1.8.1 (up from 2% just four weeks earlier). Covid-19 activity in general has been on the upswing, with a worldwide test positivity rate of 11% as of May 11—a level not seen since July 2024. That said, NB.1.8.1 is genetically still within the same broad lineage of covid-19 viruses that first began with Omicron in late 2021. That means it's very unlikely to spark the sort of massive outbreaks that Omicron initially did when it arrived. The WHO also hasn't found any evidence yet that NB.1.8.1 is causing any more severe illness than current variants. 'Evaluation of…the most recently designated VUM, NB.1.8.1, suggests no increased public health risk posed by these variants compared to other circulating variants,' the WHO stated in its report. But covid-19 itself still poses a very real public health problem, even if its overall danger has significantly declined since 2022. From October 2024 through May 2025, covid-19 is estimated to have killed between 30,000 and 50,000 Americans and hospitalized up to 430,000 people, a burden on par with the average flu season. And the recent emergence of NB.1.8.1 could certainly fuel a new peak of cases in the U.S. and elsewhere, just in time for summer. Adding to the danger is rock-bottom vaccination rates as of late, even among older adults who are most vulnerable to severe illness. According to the WHO, just 1.68% of older adults across 75 countries received a booster covid-19 shot in 2024. While the original covid-19 vaccines continue to ensure a lower risk of death and severe illness from covid-19, booster doses further reduce this risk. And the situation in the U.S. isn't looking to get better anytime soon. Under the reign of HHS chief Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long spread misinformation about vaccine safety, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has removed its recommendation that pregnant women and young children receive covid-19 vaccines, for instance. Trump-era health officials have also signaled their plans to only recommend covid-19 vaccines for older Americans in general, and the new regime has already impeded the development of newer, possibly more effective vaccines for both flu and covid-19. While covid-19 is no longer the world-shaking threat it once was, it isn't gone, and variants like NB.1.8.1 could soon painfully teach us that lesson again. 'As per the latest WHO global risk assessment, covering the period July-December 2024, the global public health risk associated with COVID-19 remains high,' the WHO said in its report.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Health expert furious as Aussies avoid getting the Covid-19 vaccine: 'We have dropped the ball'
Australians have been warned that falling Covid vaccinations rates could pose a risk as a new highly contagious strain of the virus emerges. The variant known as NB.1.8.1 - first recorded on January 21 - is responsible for a sharp rise in cases in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan and is now the dominant strain in WA, responsible for a 24 per cent jump in case numbers. Professor Paul Griffin, from Mater Hospital in Brisbane, said the Covid vaccination rate is the lowest it has been since they were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with Covid-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' said Prof. Griffin, who is director of infectious diseases at the hospital. 'It should now be a once-a-year booster, just like the flu vaccine is, and with winter here next week, now is the time to get vaccinated and it's safe to get them both together. 'There are hundreds of different strains of Omicron, and the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 is driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms.' Fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received a yearly booster despite it, along with the flu vaccine, being free. He said there has also been a sharp rise in flu cases in Queensland with more than 2,000 people already hospitalised this year. This is a 30 per cent increase on the same period last year and could pose a threat of overloading the hospital system if Covid cases also spiked. He said cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) were also high with 1,500 people hospitalised making it a 'triple threat'. 'More than half of these hospitalisations have been for the most vulnerable in our community, babies less than six months and people over 65,' Prof Griffin said. RSV vaccinations are free for pregnant women, with immunity then passed onto babies up until they are six months old. Experts have warned that childhood vaccination rates across the board - not just for Covid - have been steadily dropping since the Covid pandemic. 'Since 2020, the share of children who are fully vaccinated has fallen every year. For every child vaccine on the National Immunisation Schedule, protection was lower in 2024 than in 2020,' Professor Peter Beadon of the Grattan Institute said. 'Globally, in 2023, measles cases rose by 20 per cent.
