What is new Covid variant NB.1.8.1? Symptoms as cases confirmed in UK
New COVID strain arrives in the UK
- A new Covid-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, is spreading globally, accounting for more than 10 per cent of infections and has been designated a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- The NB.1.8.1 variant, first detected in January 2025, has spread to the US, Australia, Thailand, China, and Hong Kong, with initial cases registered in late April.
- Experts believe NB.1.8.1 can infect cells more efficiently and may trigger gastrointestinal symptoms, but there is no evidence that it causes more severe illness than previous variants.
- Common symptoms of the NB.1.8.1 variant include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, and sore throat, similar to other Omicron subvariants.
- Cases of the NB.1.8.1 variant have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, Wales, and popular British tourist hotspots, though the true number of infections is difficult to determine due to decreased testing.