New covid variant in holiday destinations as experts 'watch'

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAS SAID A NEW CORONAVIRUS VARIANT IS "UNDER MONITORING" AFTER A SPIKE IN CASES AND HOSPITALISATIONS. IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES,

INCLUDING POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATIONS 16:28, 31 May 2025 A new variant of coronavirus, labelled as "under monitoring" by the World Health Organisation (WHO), is causing concern

following a surge in cases and hospitalisations. First detected on 22 January 2025, NB. 1.8.1 is a derivative of the Omicron strain and has been identified in multiple countries, including

popular holiday destinations such as Egypt, Thailand and the Maldives. The WHO has issued a warning that this new strain is now responsible for over 10 per cent of all infections and has

become the dominant strain in Hong Kong and China. The Centre of Disease Control (CDC) in the US has also reported cases in several states including New York, California, Arizona, Ohio,

Washington, and Rhode Island. Despite the growing concern, the WHO stated in their report that the current risk to the public is considered low. They added that existing vaccines are

expected to "remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease.", reports the Mirror. The WHO further clarified that despite an increase in cases and

hospitalisations, there is currently no evidence to suggest that this variant causes more severe illness than other variants in circulation. Article continues below Despite the discovery of

the NB. 1.8.1 variant in popular holiday destinations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated that there is no need for travel or trade restrictions at this time, according to Wales

Online. The WHO urges nations to remain vigilant and adjust their responses as necessary, but does not advocate for border closures or travel limitations. The official report reads:

"WHO recommends that countries remain vigilant, adapt to evolving epidemiological trends, and leverage Covid-19 management strategies to strengthen systems for all respiratory disease

threats. Member States should continue offering Covid-19 vaccines in line with WHO recommendations." Health experts from the CDC have indicated that symptoms may vary depending on the

variant, but they are likely to be similar to the usual symptoms of Covid-19. These include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, congestion or

runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea. "However, it's important to note that the WHO has not yet observed

any evidence that it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. "Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants. Common symptoms

include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur in some cases." Article continues below The WHO report

highlights the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19, stating: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics.

At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1. In February, circulation of XEC began to decline while that of

LP.8.1 increased, with the latter becoming the most detected variant in mid-March. Since mid-April, the circulation of LP.8.1 has been slightly declining as NB.1.8.1 is increasingly being

detected."