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Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
New Covid variant NB.1.8.1 detected at US airports amid rise in cases. Check for symptoms and preventive measures
A new Covid variant, NB.1.8.1 has been detected in multiple international travelers arriving at major US airports, according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Covid variant is believed to be driving a surge in cases across China and parts of Asia, according to a report in CBS News. The CDC's airport screening program has detected multiple cases of the new COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1, which has been linked to a large surge of the virus in China. ALSO READ: US sees COVID variant NB.1.8.1 surge: Why are more than 300 people in America still dying from pandemic every week? Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ovo su cipele koje bi svaki muškarac trebao imati ducencenn Kup teraz Undo New Covid variant NB.1.8.1 found at US airports Cases of the NB.1.8.1 variant have been identified among international travelers arriving at airports in California, Washington state, Virginia, and the New York City area, according to data from Ginkgo Bioworks, the CDC's airport testing results recently published on GISAID—the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data—reveal that the cases originated from travelers coming from several countries, including Japan, South Korea, France, Thailand, the Netherlands, Spain, Vietnam, China, and Taiwan. The testing was conducted between April 22 and May 12, according to the records. In addition to being detected through airport screenings, the NB.1.8.1 COVID-19 subvariant has been reported in the community by health officials in Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. The earliest cases in the U.S. date back to late March and early April. Live Events Although NB.1.8.1 has not yet become widespread in the United States, experts are closely monitoring it. This subvariant, part of the JN.1 lineage, has become dominant in China. Health authorities in Hong Kong and Taiwan have reported rising hospitalizations and emergency room visits, prompting renewed calls for public masking and efforts to stockpile vaccines and antiviral medications. Preliminary studies suggest NB.1.8.1 does not significantly outperform other circulating strains in immune evasion. However, it may bind more effectively to human cells, potentially increasing its transmissibility. ALSO READ: Are summer jobs for US teens becoming extinct? Know the truth behind declining opportunities The variant was a key topic at a recent meeting of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) vaccine advisory panel. Moderna and Pfizer presented early findings indicating that updated vaccines targeting LP.8.1—a JN.1 descendant now dominant in the U.S.—may also protect against NB.1.8.1. The panel unanimously recommended updating COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming fall and winter to target a JN.1-based variant. However, there was debate about whether to use the newer LP.8.1 or retain the previous season's formula. While nationwide COVID-19 levels remain low, FDA officials warned that viral evolution remains unpredictable. 'Although one can't predict evolution... the overwhelming odds are that what predominates in the next few months will come from something that's circulating now,' said Dr. Jerry Weir, director of the FDA's Division of Viral Products. Dr. Natalie Thornburg of the CDC echoed the cautious outlook, noting that while this past winter did not see a major variant shift, the situation could change. 'We didn't see a major strain replacement this past winter, but that doesn't mean it won't happen soon,' she said, adding that the virus appears to be settling into a seasonal pattern, with peaks typically in summer and winter. For now, U.S. health officials are maintaining close coordination with international partners and continuing rigorous surveillance as new variants emerge. ALSO READ: In Trump's 'big, beautiful bill', what do the US taxpayers get? Check details New Covid variant in US As of May 2025, a new COVID-19 variant named NB.1.8.1, a descendant of the Omicron sublineage JN.1, has been identified as a contributing factor to recent increases in COVID-19 cases across Asia and has also been detected in the United States. First identified in China, NB.1.8.1 has rapidly become the dominant strain there, leading to significant increases in COVID-19 cases. Its presence has also been confirmed in other parts of Asia, including Singapore and Hong Kong, and more recently, in the United States through airport screening programs. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated NB.1.8.1 as a SARS-CoV-2 Variant Under Monitoring (VUM) due to its increasing global prevalence. This variant is derived from the recombinant variant XDV.1.5.1, with the earliest sample collected on January 22, 2025. It was officially classified as a VUM on May 23, 2025. ALSO READ: Tom Cruise net worth: How much money does the 'Mission: Impossible' star currently have? Symptoms of NB.1.8.1 The symptoms of NB.1.8.1 are largely consistent with those of previous Omicron variants. Commonly reported symptoms include: sore throat, fatigue, mild cough, fever, muscle aches and congestion. In some cases, individuals have experienced persistent low-grade hyperthermia, a condition where the body temperature is elevated beyond normal due to failed thermoregulation, differing from typical fever. Other reported symptoms include headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal issues. Transmissibility and Spread NB.1.8.1 has demonstrated a higher transmissibility rate compared to some earlier variants. Preliminary data suggest that this variant has an enhanced ability to bind to human cells, potentially leading to increased infection rates. The variant has been detected in travelers arriving at major U.S. airports, including those in California, Washington, Virginia, and New York. Its spread underscores the importance of continued surveillance and public health measures. Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation. ALSO READ: 'They can't add 2+2': Trump's controversial claims on Harvard students regarding remedial math Preventive Measures To protect yourself and others: Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots. Wear masks in crowded or enclosed spaces. Practice good hand hygiene. Monitor for symptoms and get tested if you feel unwell. Follow local health guidelines and advisories
Los Angeles Times
15-03-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Bird flu mutation associated with increased disease severity found in two cats
A genetic mutation of the H5N1 bird flu virus — a mutation associated with increased infectiousness and disease severity — has been found in two cats, in what scientists say is another indication of the risks posed by the virus. The fact that the cats have the mutation 'is a continued example of how this virus is evolving in nature and should concern everyone,' said Seema Lakdawala, a microbiologist at Emory University in Atlanta. Henry Niman, founder of vaccine research firm Recombinomics Inc., reviewed the sequence data and reported the results to The Times. The gene that Niman identified in the sequence data, known as PB2 E627K, has been associated with increased mammal-to-mammal transmission and disease severity in laboratory animals. It is a similar mutation to the one found in San Bernardino dairy cows earlier this week, but has a slightly different origin. The cows were infected with the B3.13 strain of H5N1 — which has been circulating widely in dairy cows since last March. The cats were infected with the newer D1.1 strain, which is widespread in wild birds — and has also now appeared in a few cattle herds in Nevada and Arizona. Niman said he believed the two cats were based in New Jersey and infected last month based on the scientific nomenclature used to label the genetic sequences. The New Jersey Department of Public Health and Raritan Township, which reported a cluster of infected cats last month in Hunterdon County, couldn't immediately be reached for comment. Since the beginning of 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported 51 H5N1-infected cats. They include both household pets and feral felines, and have been found in 13 states since the beginning of the year, including California, Montana, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and New Jersey. There have been more than 100 reported since last March, when the outbreak was first reported in dairy cows. According to the New Jersey Department of Public Health, the infected cats all lived on the same property. One was feral, another was an indoor/outdoor cat. The living situation of the remaining four cats is unclear. On Thursday, the genetic sequences of H5N1 virus taken from two infected cats were added to GISAID — the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data — a publicly-accessible gene data bank. Richard Webby, an infectious disease expert at St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., said the discovery of the mutation wasn't alarming in and of itself. 'This mutation has sporadically popped up in other mammal infections over the past few years,' he said. 'It's an easy change for the H5 viruses to make and it does so relatively frequently.' It'll become concerning, he said, if it spreads more widely. There have been no reports of infected humans in New Jersey, and a press release from the state said the people who interacted with the infected cats were asymptomatic. That Feb. 28 release said that the infected cats had no known reported exposures to infected poultry, livestock, or consumption of raw (unpasteurized) milk or meat, 'but did roam freely outdoors, so exposure to wild birds or other animals is unknown.' Since the outbreak started last March, 70 people in the U.S. have been infected with H5N1; one person has died.
