New COVID strain has emerged: here are its symptoms
Tengrinews.kz – A new COVID variant known as NB.1.8.1 is spreading in the United States. Doctors have shared information about the symptoms of this infection, according to HuffPost.
Experts say the new COVID strain is more contagious than other versions of the virus. It was first detected in China in January this year.
Specialists claim there are no significant differences between the symptoms of NB.1.8.1 and those caused by other variants of SARS-CoV-2.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the new mutation has enhanced transmissibility and may have the ability to evade some of our immune defenses.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says the symptoms of NB.1.8.1 largely overlap with those of other SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Two characteristic symptoms of COVID are a mild but persistent dry cough and nasal congestion. Many infected people also experience fatigue and tiredness.
Other common symptoms include fever, chills, sore throat, and muscle aches.
The WHO states that there is no evidence that this variant causes more severe illness or leads to increased hospitalizations or deaths. The only notable feature at this stage is its rapid rate of spread.
It is still too early to assess vaccine effectiveness — research on NB.1.8.1 is limited as it is a new variant — but scientists expect vaccines to provide good protection. NB.1.8.1 is a descendant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage, which the 2024–2025 vaccines are designed to target.
Most people will be able to recover at home with proper rest and hydration, and in most cases, symptoms should resolve within a week.