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Newsweek
4 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
'Razor Throat': Nimbus COVID Symptoms To Watch For As New Variant Rises
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new COVID-19 variant spreading across the United States may cause an extremely painful sore throat—dubbed the "razor throat"—among its symptoms. The new "Nimbus" strain, also known as COVID-19 NB 1.8.1, was first detected in China in January, and was classified as a variant "under monitoring" by the World Health Organization (WHO) in May. NB 1.8.1 has been reported in a number of US states—including California and New York—with reports of the variant increasing globally. NB 1.8.1 made up a whopping 37 percent of all reported COVID-19 diagnoses between May 25 and June 7, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is a significant increase since late May, when a CDC spokesperson told Newsweek that there had so far been "fewer than 20 sequences of NB.1.8.1 in the U.S. baseline surveillance data to date, so it has not met the threshold for inclusion in the COVID Data Tracker dashboard." Stock image of a man holding his painful throat, and inset, illustration of a COVID-19 mutation. Stock image of a man holding his painful throat, and inset, illustration of a COVID-19 mutation. Liubomyr Vorona / Images Omicron LP.8.1 remains the most commonly reported Covid variant at present, but its share of 38 percent of all cases places NB 1.8.1 at a close second. For comparison's sake, the CDC listed LP.8.1 as making up 70 percent of reported cases between April 26 and May 10, mere weeks ago. Reports from Chinese media via the LA Times indicate that symptoms of "razor throat" and coughing appear more prevalent with the new strain that is predecessors. According to the CDC but the following symptoms are common with COVID-19 in general: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath Sore throat Congestion, runny nose New loss of taste or smell Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Read more COVID-19 NB 18.1 variant: Symptoms to watch for as virus surges COVID-19 NB 18.1 variant: Symptoms to watch for as virus surges Infectious disease expert and CEO of Wellness and Equity Alliance, Dr. Tyler B Evans, previously told Newsweek that there was "no clear evidence that this subvariant presents dramatically different symptoms from other recent strains. "We're still seeing common indicators like sore throat, nasal congestion, fatigue, and cough," he said. "In some cases, especially among unvaccinated or immunocompromised individuals, symptoms can escalate to more severe respiratory distress." Newsweek has contacted the CDC for comment. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about medicine? Let us know via science@
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Health
- USA Today
A new COVID-19 variant, vaccine changes: What to know in 2025
A new COVID-19 variant, vaccine changes: What to know in 2025 Show Caption Hide Caption RFK Jr. says COVID-19 vaccine no longer recommended for some The COVID-19 vaccine is no longer recommended for healthy children and pregnant women, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says. Like it or not, COVID-19 is still a public health issue five years after the start of the pandemic flipped the nation, and the world, on its head. Changing vaccination guidelines, ever-evolving variants and strains, threats to health insurance and more mean COVID is still very much a regular conversation on the lips of lawmakers, regulators and the general public. More than 40,000 positive tests were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May, and while hospitalizations and deaths are fortunately down significantly since the pandemic's peak, vulnerable people are still grappling with limiting their risk amid changing practices. Here is a brief recap of the status of COVID cases, variants and vaccines in the U.S. as of June 4, 2025. Where do COVID cases currently stand in the US? According to the most recent data on the CDC's COVID Data Tracker dashboard, there were 735 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in May 2025 as of May 24. In the four weeks leading up to May 24, 3% of 1,344,681 COVID tests administered nationwide were positive. New NB.1.8.1 COVID variant In January, a new COVID-19 variant known as NB.1.8.1 was first detected in China. As of mid-May, the variant had reached 10.7% of global reported COVID-19 cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of May 27, less than 20 cases of NB.1.8.1 had been reported in the U.S., a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY. This figure is too low to be added to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker dashboard, the spokesperson added, though they did not clarify the threshold for adding new variants to the dashboard. New COVID variant in China: Here's what to know about NB.1.8.1 NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, previously told USA TODAY. For comparison, LP.8.1 made up 70% of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. between April 26 and May 10, as reported by the CDC. Verma said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1. The variant has similar symptoms to other strains, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or a runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting. Vaccine back-and-forth: Who can get it and will there be new boosters? Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on May 27 that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, a move that broke with previous expert guidance and bypassed the normal scientific review process. Under the changes, the only people who will be recommended for COVID-19 vaccines are those over 65 and people with existing health problems. This could make it harder for others who want the COVID-19 vaccine to get it, including health care workers and healthy people under 65 with a vulnerable family member or those who want to reduce their short-term risk of infection. RFK changes vaccine recommendations: Want a COVID vaccine? It could cost you $200. Insurance coverage typically follows federal recommendations, so anyone who is healthy and under 65 is likely to have to pay out of pocket to get the shot, which runs about $200, if they can get it. It's not clear what insurance companies will do about the new recommendations. RFK Jr. is a vaccine skeptic known for making false claims about vaccination and other medical practices. Under his leadership and the Trump administration, the FDA canceled the advisory meeting of independent experts who usually gather to formulate new flu shots annually and nixed a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine amid the spread. He also pushed false claims about MMR vaccines as measles, previously eradicated in the U.S., began erupting in states across the country, causing the first death in a decade. It is not yet known how accessible the COVID-19 vaccine will be moving forward. Contributing: Karen Weintraub, Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY; Reuters
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A new COVID-19 variant, vaccine changes: What to know in 2025
Like it or not, COVID-19 is still a public health issue five years after the start of the pandemic flipped the nation, and the world, on its head. Changing vaccination guidelines, ever-evolving variants and strains, threats to health insurance and more mean COVID is still very much a regular conversation on the lips of lawmakers, regulators and the general public. More than 40,000 positive tests were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in May, and while hospitalizations and deaths are fortunately down significantly since the pandemic's peak, vulnerable people are still grappling with limiting their risk amid changing practices. Here is a brief recap of the status of COVID cases, variants and vaccines in the U.S. as of June 4, 2025. According to the most recent data on the CDC's COVID Data Tracker dashboard, there were 735 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in May 2025 as of May 24. In the four weeks leading up to May 24, 3% of 1,344,681 COVID tests administered nationwide were positive. In January, a new COVID-19 variant known as NB.1.8.1 was first detected in China. As of mid-May, the variant had reached 10.7% of global reported COVID-19 cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). As of May 27, less than 20 cases of NB.1.8.1 had been reported in the U.S., a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY. This figure is too low to be added to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker dashboard, the spokesperson added, though they did not clarify the threshold for adding new variants to the dashboard. New COVID variant in China: Here's what to know about NB.1.8.1 NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, previously told USA TODAY. For comparison, LP.8.1 made up 70% of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. between April 26 and May 10, as reported by the CDC. Verma said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1. The variant has similar symptoms to other strains, including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or a runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on May 27 that the COVID-19 vaccine would no longer be included in the CDC's recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, a move that broke with previous expert guidance and bypassed the normal scientific review process. Under the changes, the only people who will be recommended for COVID-19 vaccines are those over 65 and people with existing health problems. This could make it harder for others who want the COVID-19 vaccine to get it, including health care workers and healthy people under 65 with a vulnerable family member or those who want to reduce their short-term risk of infection. RFK changes vaccine recommendations: Want a COVID vaccine? It could cost you $200. Insurance coverage typically follows federal recommendations, so anyone who is healthy and under 65 is likely to have to pay out of pocket to get the shot, which runs about $200, if they can get it. It's not clear what insurance companies will do about the new recommendations. RFK Jr. is a vaccine skeptic known for making false claims about vaccination and other medical practices. Under his leadership and the Trump administration, the FDA canceled the advisory meeting of independent experts who usually gather to formulate new flu shots annually and nixed a contract with Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccine amid the spread. He also pushed false claims about MMR vaccines as measles, previously eradicated in the U.S., began erupting in states across the country, causing the first death in a decade. It is not yet known how accessible the COVID-19 vaccine will be moving forward. Contributing: Karen Weintraub, Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What to know about COVID-19 in 2025: Variants, vaccines, cases
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A new COVID variant is hitting China. Here's what Henderson residents need to know
A new COVID-19 variant sweeping through China has yet to make a sizable footprint in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says. In January, a new COVID-19 variant known as NB.1.8.1 was first detected in China. On May 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified NB.1.8.1 as a variant that public health officials "may require prioritized attention and monitoring." As of Tuesday, May 27, less than 20 cases of NB.1.8.1 had been reported in the U.S., a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY. This figure is too low to be added to the CDC's COVID Data Tracker dashboard, the spokesperson added, though they did not clarify what the threshold for adding new variants to the dashboard is. Here's what to know about the COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 variant. COVID-19 vaccination: RFK Jr. ditches COVID vaccine recommendation for children, pregnant women NB.1.8.1 is one of the latest variants of COVID-19, a "slightly upgraded version" of the LP.8.1 variant that is prominent right now, said Subhash Verma, microbiology and immunology professor at the University of Nevada, Reno. For comparison, LP.8.1 made up 70% of reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S. between April 26 and May 10, as reported by the CDC. Verma said NB.1.8.1 may be able to be transferred more easily than LP.8.1. Additionally, he said that NB.1.8.1 is able to evade antibodies created by vaccines or past infections more easily than LP.8.1. "NB.1.8.1 is likely to spread more rapidly and evade our immune defenses more easily than LP.8.1, which is why this variant requires careful monitoring," Verma said. The CDC has not outlined symptoms that are specific to the NB.1.8.1. variant. Verma said that NB.1.8.1 symptoms appear similar to those of earlier COVID-19 variants. The CDC outlines the following as common COVID-19 symptoms: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Sore throat Congestion or a runny nose New loss of taste or smell Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Nausea or vomiting The CDC advises seeking medical care if you experience any of the following symptoms: Trouble breathing Persistent pain or pressure in the chest New confusion Inability to wake or stay awake Depending on skin tone, lips, nail beds and skin may appear pale, gray or blue Less than 20 NB.1.81. cases had been reported in the U.S., as of May 27, a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY. According to the World Health Organization, as of May 18, 518 cases of NB.1.8.1 had been submitted to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) from 22 countries. The World Health Organization states that currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against the NB.1.8.1 variant. The CDC advises that everyone over the age of six months get the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, specifically the 2024-2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. People who have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, are age 65 and older, are immunocompromised, live at a long-term care facility, are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant, and/or want to avoid getting long COVID, should get the vaccine, especially. Updated and annual COVID-19 vaccines are actually not "booster shots." Boosters are additional doses of the same vaccine that are needed to maintain immunity, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Updated vaccines protect against new variants of a virus, like NB.1.8.1. Increasing Community Access to Testing, Treatment and Response (ICATT), a federal program, continues to provide free COVID-19 testing to individuals without health insurance. According to the CDC, as of May 27, more than 19,000 locations across the country offer free testing. To find a location near you that offers free testing, visit Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NB.1.8.1: What to know about the new COVID variant
Epoch Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
New COVID-19 Variant May Be Driving Up Cases in Some Parts of the World: WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday that a new COVID-19 strain that is dominant in China appears to be driving up cases in parts of the world and is currently spreading in Southeast Asia, the western Pacific regions, and the Mediterranean. The new variant, called NB.1.8.1, has led to a resurgence of the virus in China in recent weeks, The new variant, increasing globally, had by mid-May reached nearly 11 percent of sequenced samples reported. The WHO last week In its Wednesday 'The recent increases have been observed in four countries and areas to date: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong ... and Singapore,' the WHO said in its update. The variant called LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version worldwide, the WHO added. But both LP.8.1. and NB.1.8.1 have not shown signs they would cause an 'increased public health risk' when 'compared to other circulating variants,' the UN health body said. Related Stories 5/28/2025 5/28/2025 'To permit robust COVID-19 risk assessment and management, WHO reiterates its recommendations to member states to continue to monitor and report SARS-CoV-2 activity and burden, public health and healthcare system impacts of COVID-19, strengthen genomic sequencing capacity and reporting, in particular information on SARS-CoV-2 variants, promptly and transparently to support global public health efforts,' the organization said, referring to the virus that causes COVID-19. Airport screening in the United States has detected the new variant in travelers arriving from those regions to destinations in California, Washington state, Virginia, and New York, officials said. A CDC spokesperson told The Epoch Times on Sunday evening that while NB.1.8.1 has been detected in the United States, there are 'fewer than 20 sequences in the U.S. baseline surveillance data to date.' 'It has not met the threshold for inclusion in the COVID Data Tracker dashboard. We monitor all SARS-CoV-2 sequences, and if it increases in proportion, it will appear on the Data Tracker dashboard,' the spokesperson added. The NB.1.8.1 strain is a derivative of the XDV COVID-19 lineage, and sub-lineages have been circulating for months around the world, including in China. Statistics published by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention last week indicated that NB.1.8.1 is the dominant strain in China. One Last week, the WHO also said that 'while there are reported increases in cases and hospitalizations' in its member countries, 'there are no reports to suggest that the associated disease severity is higher as compared to other circulating variants.' It comes as the United States' official stance on COVID-19 vaccination was changed, according to an announcement from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy this week. He said that COVID-19 shots are no longer recommended for pregnant women and healthy children. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an The Associated Press contributed to this report.
