Latest news with #PeterChin-Hong
Vancouver Sun
4 hours ago
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
'Swallowing razor blades': What to know about the painful symptom linked to latest COVID strain
A painful symptom that has been linked to the latest strain of COVID-19 is being called 'razor blade throat.' The World Health Organization recently designated NB.1.8.1 as a variant under monitoring . The strain, nicknamed 'Nimbus,' has reportedly been causing extremely painful sort throats in those who have been infected with it. Cases of the Nimbus variant have been rising. It has been detected in 22 countries as of May 18 and made up 10.7 per cent of the global COVID samples taken in late April, WHO said. That was considered a 'significant rise in prevalence' since it only made up 2.5 per cent of global COVID samples four weeks prior. However, WHO deemed the overall risk of Nimbus to be low. '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,' according to WHO. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Here's what to know. Like the name suggests, 'razor blade throat' describes severe sore throat pain, as if the throat is 'covered with razor blades,' chair of the department of medicine and chief of infectious diseases at Mount Sinai South Nassau in New York Dr. Aaron Glatt told . 'While not specific to COVID-19,' he said, 'this expression has been used to describe sore throat symptoms in some patients with the most recent COVID-19 variant.' It has been described by some as 'akin to swallowing shattered glass or razor blades,' news network NTD reported . However, infectious disease specialist at University of California San Francisco Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, told the San Francisco Chronicle that a sore throat from COVID is 'not novel at all.' 'There has been a range of intensity of sore throat with COVID symptoms all along, including very severe pain,' said Chin-Hong. Other symptoms of COVID include runny nose, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, fatigue or weakness, muscle or body aches, new loss of smell or taste, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. This particular strain 'isn't too different from the Omicron variant , but it does have some tweaks to its spike protein,' according to general practitioner from private healthcare centre Pall Mall Medical in the United Kingdom Dr. Chun Tang, The Independent reported . That means it could 'spread a bit more easily or slip past some of our existing immunity.' 'That said, early signs suggest it doesn't seem to cause more serious illness, but of course, we're still learning more about it,' said Tang. The earliest sample of Nimbus was taken in January, said WHO. In Canada, the federal government has been keeping track of COVID variants detected nationwide. Nimbus was detected in Canada in March, but it only accounted for a very low percentage of COVID strains in the country, at just 0.2 per cent . By the end of May, Nimbus made up roughly 20 per cent of all identified COVID cases. Using earlier trends to estimate the current situation, the government is predicting how variants will spread or diminish. This method is called nowcasting. For the week of June 1, the nowcasted estimates of Nimbus in Canada are predicted to be around 42 per cent. The nowcasted estimates for the week of June 15 jump to 53 per cent, meaning it would make up more than half of the cases in Canada if the prediction is accurate. Other than Canada, Nimbus has been detected around the world, with cases reported in India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United States, according to the World Health Network . It has also made its way to Australia and the United Kingdom .
Calgary Herald
4 hours ago
- Health
- Calgary Herald
'Swallowing razor blades': What to know about the painful symptom linked to latest COVID strain
Article content The World Health Organization recently designated NB.1.8.1 as a variant under monitoring. The strain, nicknamed 'Nimbus,' has reportedly been causing extremely painful sort throats in those who have been infected with it. Article content Cases of the Nimbus variant have been rising. It has been detected in 22 countries as of May 18 and made up 10.7 per cent of the global COVID samples taken in late April, WHO said. That was considered a 'significant rise in prevalence' since it only made up 2.5 per cent of global COVID samples four weeks prior. However, WHO deemed the overall risk of Nimbus to be low. Article content Article content 'While not specific to COVID-19,' he said, 'this expression has been used to describe sore throat symptoms in some patients with the most recent COVID-19 variant.' Article content It has been described by some as 'akin to swallowing shattered glass or razor blades,' news network NTD reported. Article content Article content However, infectious disease specialist at University of California San Francisco Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, told the San Francisco Chronicle that a sore throat from COVID is 'not novel at all.' Article content 'There has been a range of intensity of sore throat with COVID symptoms all along, including very severe pain,' said Chin-Hong. Article content Other symptoms of COVID include runny nose, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, fatigue or weakness, muscle or body aches, new loss of smell or taste, headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Article content Article content This particular strain 'isn't too different from the Omicron variant, but it does have some tweaks to its spike protein,' according to general practitioner from private healthcare centre Pall Mall Medical in the United Kingdom Dr. Chun Tang, The Independent reported. That means it could 'spread a bit more easily or slip past some of our existing immunity.'
Hindustan Times
13 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
New COVID variant ‘Nimbus' spreading in California, causes ‘razor blade throat'
COVID-19 rages on as a new threat to the state of California. According to recent reports, a deadly subvariant, NB1.8.1 or 'Nimbus,' is on the rise and carries symptoms of razor blade throats, which implies that those affected experience throat pain equivalent to having shards of glass stuck. The spread of this subvariant in other countries as well has raised concerns among the medical community and the general public. ALSO READ| What we know about Covid variant 'Nimbus' known for 'razor blade throat' amid surge in cases According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this new subvariant is a part of the Omicron family and is now almost parallel in effect to that of the last most dominant subvariant: the LP 8.1. The nimbus is now responsible for 37% of all coronavirus samples detected. California has been under threat by this subvariant ever since May and now comprises 55% of cases detected in the state as per the state Department of Public Health. 'Before Omicron, I think most people presented with the usual loss of taste and smell as the predominant symptom and shortness of breath,' said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert to the LA Times. But due to the 'razor blade throat' effect of the Nimbus subvariant, attention has now been diverted to 'other aspects of these symptoms'. Elevated levels of coronavirus have been detected in the state's wastewater as per noted professionals and may be contributing to the spike in cases. Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, wrote in an email to The Times, 'Wastewater surveillance across Southern California shows variability: Santa Barbara watersheds are reporting moderate-to-high levels, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeing low-to-moderate levels, Riverside is reporting low levels, while San Bernardino is experiencing high activity.' The state Department of Public Health says that viral levels in wastewater have risen by 13% for the ten-day period concluded on May 30 which proves why more positive cases of the virus have started to appear in the city. As per its official website, coronavirus levels across California continue to remain at a 'medium' scale. Coronavirus levels in Santa Clara County have started to rise over the summer while the levels in the sewershed of San José are considered to be high. Palo Alto records 'medium' levels and Sunnyvale reports 'low'. San Francisco, on the other hand, still has a relatively lower number of cases being reported. ALSO READ| What is razor blade throat? New Covid variant 'Nimbus' causing very painful symptom, know about prevention This uptick in cases is happening at a time when the US Department of Health and Human Services, led by vaccine critic Robert F Kennedy Jr, is making the intake of COVID-19 vaccines substantially difficult. An open letter by 30 notable medical organizations has tried to criticize this call of the government and urges people to rely on scientific facts and get themselves vaccinated during a time of dire need.
a day ago
- Health
What to know about COVID variant NB.1.8.1 causing 'razor blade throat'
A newer COVID-19 variant may be causing a severe sore throat in some people who contract the infection. The variant, known as NB.1.8.1, has been nicknamed by some as "razor blade throat" due to the painful symptom. Data from the open global genome sequencing database GISAID shows the new variant has been detected in several states, including New York, Illinois, Texas and California. Public health experts told ABC News there is no cause for serious concern yet because the virus does not appear to be more severe than previous variants and there are steps that can be taken to protect yourself. What is NB 1.8.1? NB.1.8.1 derives from the recombinant variant XVD.1.5.1, which is a descendant of the omicron variant. The first sample of NB.1.8.1 was collected on Jan. 22, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It was first detected in China and other parts of Asia before spreading to Europe. It was designated as a "variant under monitoring" by the WHO, meaning it may require prioritized attention and monitoring but is not as serious as a "variant of interest" or a "variant of concern." As of the week ending June 7, NB.1.8.1 is the second most dominant variant in the U.S., accounting for an estimated 37% of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The virus appears to be more transmissible because there appear to be changes to the spike protein, which is what the virus uses to attach to and infect cells, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. It also seems to attach more easily to ACE2 receptors, which are proteins found on the surface of cells and how the virus that causes COVID enters cells, he told ABC News. NB.1.8.1 doesn't yet appear to be causing increases in cases or in hospitalizations with rates remaining "stable" so far, according to Chin-Hong. The variant has also been called "Nimbus," which appears to have been coined on X by T. Ryan Gregory, a Canadian professor of evolutionary biology. "Nimbus is a catchy, quick name, and it also includes an 'N' and a 'B' from the lineage, which is NB.1.8.1. So it's easier for people to be able to say these monikers for COVID, rather than remember the actual lineage," said Dr. Alok Potel, a pediatrician at Stanford Children's Health and an ABC News contributor. "But I think it's important also because it keeps people paying attention to new COVID variants that can be different in terms of infectivity and in terms of spread," he added. What are the symptoms? Experts said they are not sure if the painful sore throat is just a symptom that people are talking about or a distinctive symptom of this variant. It's also unclear if the "razor blade throat" is more common in those who are more up to date on vaccination compared to those who are not up to date. "I think it's certainly amongst the spectrum of symptoms that you can get, and we know that sore throat is reported by about 70% of patients now with COVID, so it's not unusual, and like with everything in medicine, there's always a spectrum," Chin-Hong said. There is currently no evidence that NB.1.8.1. causes more severe disease or is more likely to cause hospitalization, according to Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, "But of course, there are people in high-risk groups that are still at risk of being hospitalized should they become infected," he told ABC News. There are no other symptoms outlined that are specific to NB.1.8.1 by the CDC. Symptoms listed by the health agency still include sore throat, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, congestion, runny nose, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle aches, body aches, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. How to protect yourself The experts recommend that high-risk Americans receive a vaccine twice a year as recommended by the CDC. The CDC also currently recommends most adults aged 18 and older receive an updated 2024-2025 vaccine and that parents of children between ages 6 months to 17 years discuss the benefits of vaccination with a health care provider. COVID-19 also tends to spike in the late summer and early fall, so people should consider opening windows to increase ventilation, wearing a mask in certain situations and avoiding crowded areas, Schaffner said. "Time to stream a movie, as I like to say, rather than going to the movies," he added. Patel said it's important to practice good hygiene such as proper hand-washing and covering your mouth when coughing or sneezing. He also recommended that people test if they are symptomatic and said over-the-counter rapid at-home tests work. "Getting infected with COVID and other infectious diseases is not necessarily life or death, but it can still be very debilitating." Patel said. "It can cause people to miss work, to spread the virus, to get people who are higher risk sick and there's still an untold amount of people who have long COVID." He added, "So, we don't want to look at COVID as just another common cold, because there's still so much we're learning about it, and there's still so many possibilities with this virus continuing to mutate, if we let it."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
COVID 'razor blade throat' rises as new subvariant spreads in California
COVID-19 appears to be on the rise in some parts of California as a new, highly contagious subvariant — featuring "razor blade throat" symptoms overseas — is becoming increasingly dominant. Nicknamed "Nimbus," the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 has been described in news reports in China as having more obvious signs of "razor blade throat" — what patients describe as feeling like their throats are studded with razor blades. Although "razor blade throat" may seem like a new term, the description of incredibly painful sore throats associated with COVID-19 has emerged before in the United States, like having a throat that feels like it's covered with shards of glass. But the increased attention to this symptom comes as the Nimbus subvariant has caused surges of COVID-19 in other countries. "Before Omicron, I think most people presented with the usual loss of taste and smell as the predominant symptom and shortness of breath," said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert. But as COVID has become less likely to require hospitalization, "people are focusing on these other aspects of symptoms," such as an extraordinarily painful sore throat. Part of the Omicron family, Nimbus is now one of the most dominant coronavirus subvariants nationally. For the two-week period that ended June 7, Nimbus comprised an estimated 37% of the nation's coronavirus samples, now roughly even with the subvariant LP.8.1, probably responsible for 38% of circulating virus. LP.8.1 has been dominant over the past few months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more: A new COVID subvariant spreads rapidly as Trump pivots away from vaccines The Nimbus subvariant has also been increasing since May in California, the state Department of Public Health said in an email to the Los Angeles Times. Projections suggest the Nimbus subvariant comprises 55% of circulating virus in California, up from observations of just 2% in April, the agency said Friday. "We are seeing some indicators of increased COVID-19 activity, including the rise of the NB.1.8.1 variant, elevated coronavirus levels in wastewater, and an uptick in the test positivity rate," Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, wrote in an email to The Times. "Wastewater surveillance across Southern California shows variability: Santa Barbara watersheds are reporting moderate-to-high levels, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeing low-to-moderate levels, Riverside is reporting low levels, while San Bernardino is experiencing high activity," Hudson said. Read more: RFK Jr. kept asking to see the science that vaccines were safe. After he saw it, he dismissed it While viral concentrations remain relatively low, Los Angeles County has observed an increase in coronavirus levels in sewage, the local Department of Public Health told The Times. For the week that ended May 30 — the most recent available — viral levels in wastewater rose by 13% versus a comparable period several weeks earlier. In addition, there is a slight increase in the rate in which COVID surveillance tests are turning up positive in L.A. County. For the most recent week, 5% of COVID surveillance tests showed positive results for infection, up from 3.8% in early May. COVID-related visits to the emergency room remain low in Los Angeles County. Read more: Trump administration cancels $766-million Moderna contract to fight pandemic flu There were still low rates of COVID-19 illness in San Francisco, the local Department of Public Health said. Yet coronavirus levels in wastewater in Northern California's most populous county, Santa Clara County, are starting to increase, "just as they have over past summers," the local Public Health Department said in an email to The Times. As of Friday, coronavirus levels in the sewershed of San José was considered "high." Viral levels were "medium" in Palo Alto and "low" in Sunnyvale. Nimbus is the most common subvariant in the county. Across California, coronavirus levels in wastewater are at a "medium" level; the last time viral levels were consistently "low" was in April, according to the state Department of Public Health's website. "Future seasonal increases in disease levels are likely," the California Department of Public Health said in an email to The Times Friday. The uptick in COVID comes as many medical professional organizations and some state and local health officials are objecting to the Trump administration's recent moves on vaccine policy, which some experts fear will make it more difficult for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and other diseases. Read more: U.S. just radically changed its COVID vaccine recommendations: How will it affect you? Federal officials in May weakened the CDC's official recommendations from recommending the COVID vaccine to everyone age 6 months and up. The CDC now offers "no guidance" on whether healthy pregnant women should get the COVID vaccine, and now asks that parents of healthy children talk with a healthcare provider before asking that their kids get inoculated. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a rebuke of the changing vaccine recommendations for pregnant women, accusing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — led by the vaccine-skeptic secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — of "propagating misinformation." The American Pharmacists Assn. wrote that dropping the vaccine recommendation for pregnant women did "not appear to be based on the scientific evidence provided over the last few years." And an open letter by 30 organizations specializing in health — including the American Medical Assn. — said that "we must continue to prioritize high levels of COVID-19 vaccine coverage in pregnant patients to protect them and their infants after birth." Chin-Hong said he recommends pregnant women get vaccinated "one million percent." "The data are incredibly clear that pregnant women do have a higher rate of complications, hospitalization and premature births when they did not get vaccinated [against COVID] compared to the ones that did," said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious-disease expert at Stanford University. The vaccines also help newborns, as antibodies generated by the mom-to-be cross the placenta, and can protect the newborn for a certain number of months, she said. That's essential protection, given that newborns can't be vaccinated under 6 months of age, Maldonado said. If newborns are infected, they have relatively high rates of hospitalization — as high as those age 65 and over, Maldonado said. Read more: Amid measles outbreak, Texas is poised to make vaccine exemptions for kids easier Then, last week, Kennedy abruptly fired all members of a highly influential committee that advises the CDC on vaccine policy. In an op-ed to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy criticized the previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, founded in 1964, as being "plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine." Maldonado, a professor in pediatric infectious diseases and epidemiology, was one of the fired vaccine advisors. She called their mass dismissal unprecedented in the history of the ACIP. "We are absolutely in uncharted territory here," Maldonado said. "I think it's going to be really hard to understand what vaccines are going to go forward. ... They're also going to review the entire vaccination schedule." In general, routine review of vaccine schedules are a good thing, and prior reviews have concluded that the current recommended shots are safe and effective, Maldonado said. But the criteria being circulated by recently appointed federal officials "could actually wind up refusing to recommend, say, measles vaccine or HPV vaccine, because I've seen some of the misinformation that has been out there about some of these vaccines. ... "And if any of that is accepted as truth, we could wind up losing some of these vaccines," Maldonado said. "The question, then, is: 'Would those vaccines disappear?' ... Hard to know," she said. But it's also possible that federal officials could begin to stop paying for certain vaccines to be administered to children of low-income families. Read more: Ex-official says he was forced out of FDA after trying to protect vaccine safety data from RFK Jr. She rejected Kennedy's characterization of the committee as a rubber stamp for vaccine makers. "Generally, a decision to not pursue a vaccine happens usually well before anything gets to a vote," Maldonado said. A joint statement by the governors of California, Oregon and Washington condemned Kennedy's dismissal of the vaccine advisors as "deeply troubling for the health of the nation" and defended the fired vaccine advisors as having been "carefully screened for major conflicts of interest." "We have grave concerns about the integrity and transparency of upcoming federal vaccine recommendations and will continue to collaborate to ensure that science and sound medicine prevail to prevent any loss of life," Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Thursday. Traditionally, the advisory committee's recommendations on who should get vaccinated were adopted by the director of the CDC. "It was one of the most depressing weeks in American health ... a dark period for everyone right now, and demoralizing," said Chin-Hong, of UC San Francisco. "It's very destabilizing." Read more: A pediatrician's dilemma: Should a practice kick out unvaccinated kids? The American Academy of Pediatrics called the purge of the vaccine advisors "an escalating effort by the administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines." Kennedy's handpicked replacements include people known for their criticism of vaccines, the Associated Press reported. The mass firing "likely puts vaccine access and insurance coverage at serious risk," the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement. "It corrodes trust in the recommended schedule for vaccines, not only by the public, but by medical providers who rely on the ACIP for science-based, apolitical guidance." The departments of public health for California, Oregon and Washington said they "continue to recommend all individuals age 6 months and older should have access and the choice to receive currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines, with an emphasis on protecting higher risk individuals, such as infants and toddlers, pregnant individuals, and others with risks for serious disease." The L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement that, "at this time in Los Angeles County, current vaccine recommendations for persons aged 6 months and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine remain in effect and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines is still in place." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
