I haven’t seen this in major media yet (except CBS), nor here, but this story is spreading on Facebook and in Europe today: (CBS) U.S. reports cases of new COVID variant NB.1.8.1 behind surge in China:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’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.
Cases linked to the NB.1.8.1 variant have been reported in arriving international travelers at airports in California, Washington state, Virginia and the New York City area, according to records uploaded by the CDC’s airport testing partner Ginkgo Bioworks. . . .
Cases of NB.1.8.1 have also now been reported by health authorities in other states, including Ohio, Rhode Island and Hawaii, separate from the airport cases. In California and Washington state, the earliest cases date back to late March and early April.
Experts have been closely watching the variant, which is now dominant in China and is on the rise in parts of Asia. Hong Kong authorities say that rates of COVID-19 in the city have climbed to the worst levels they have seen in at least a year, after a “significant increase” in reported emergency room visits and hospitalizations driven by COVID-19.
Good to see the CDC is still on the job (NO snark intended).
The Daily Express (US version) is also alarming: New Covid variant lands in US after ripping through countries, killing some in Taiwan:
There is yet to be evidence that this new variant is more severe, but authorities in Hong Kong say they have already begun urging locals to wear masks in crowded places.
Taiwan has also reported a rise in emergency room visits, including severe cases and deaths, and the country’s health authorities have said they are stockpiling vaccines and antiviral treatments in response.
On Thursday, The Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee unanimously recommended that the newest vaccines for Covid should be updated to target a variant of strains currently on the rise, including NB.1.8.1.
The meeting on Thursday was the first the Administration has had since President Trump took office.
The (UK) Economic Times also has some details: COVID variant NB.1.8.1 spreading in U.S.: is it more dangerous, do vaccines work, and what’s the fatality rate?
Answers: It does not appear to be more severe than previous variants, but it spreads more rapidly. Also, “Early data suggests that updated vaccines targeting related variants such as LP.8.1 may be beneficial.”
So far, there is no sign that NB.1.8.1 causes more severe illness than previous strains. But what it lacks in evasiveness, it may make up for in speed. Early research from China suggests the variant binds more effectively to human cells, which could make it more contagious than its predecessors.
By coincidence, during a routine exam last week my doctor suggested getting a COVID booster, which I did. Consult your doctor or other health care to consider doing the same.
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