Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2025. 8:39 am CST.
By Zoila Palma: A new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, is contributing to a rise in cases in several regions worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The organization reported Wednesday that the increase is most notable in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and western Pacific areas.
While global transmission remains moderate, some countries in the western Pacific have also seen a rise in hospitalizations, AP reports.
In the United States, airport screenings have identified the NB.1.8.1 variant in travelers from affected regions, particularly those arriving in California, Washington state, Virginia, and New York.
Though this variant is newly circulating, the WHO emphasizes that current data does not indicate it causes more severe illness compared to previous strains. It has been classified as a “variant under monitoring,” and health officials believe existing vaccines still offer effective protection.
The variant’s emergence comes at a time of shifting COVID-19 policy in the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Tuesday that federal guidelines will no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children and pregnant women.
This decision has drawn immediate criticism from public health experts who warn it could weaken protection against future outbreaks, especially with new variants emerging.
By mid-May, NB.1.8.1 accounted for nearly 11% of sequenced global samples, while the variant LP.8.1 continues to dominate in both the U.S. and globally.
Despite the uptick in cases, the WHO has assessed the public health risk from NB.1.8.1 as low.
Officials continue to monitor the situation and advise countries to remain vigilant in surveillance and reporting.
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The post World Health Organization reports new COVID-19 variant detected amid rising global cases appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Thursday, May 29, 2025. 8:39 am CST. By Zoila Palma: A new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, is contributing to a rise in cases in several regions
The post World Health Organization reports new COVID-19 variant detected amid rising global cases appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
