Health officials warn that a rapid surge in new COVID-19 variant cases across several parts of Asia may now account for more than one-third of all COVID across the US.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), up to half of the cases discovered in travellers have entered the country during the last week of May.
The agency’s airport surveillance program identified the variant in travellers from different parts of the world, as reported by CBS News.
CDC further stated that new projections have a broader margin of error and are likely to change as more data is received. However, the increase suggests that the variant is spreading quickly.
A professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno, Subhash Verma, told CBS News, "Data indicates that NB.1.8.1 does not lead to more severe illness compared to previous variants, although it appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily. In other words, it is more transmissible."
COVID variant, NB.1.8.1, symptoms
Here are a few symptoms of NB.1.8.1 that people may experience:
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Fever
- Tiredness
With an evolution in viruses, access to vaccines is likely to change for certain groups.
It is pertinent to mention that in May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that it will approve updated vaccines for people at an increased risk.
