More than five years after the initial outbreak, COVID-19 is once again making headlines with the emergence of a new variant confirmed in the UK and in multiple countries around the world.

The strain, identified as NB.1.8.1, currently makes up just over 10 percent of global cases, with confirmed infections in both Northern Ireland and Wales.

Although there?s no indication that NB.1.8.1 leads to more serious illness, experts believe it may infect cells more effectively and could cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, and nausea.

Since first being identified in January 2025, this Omicron-related variant has spread to several regions, including the United States, Australia, and Thailand, and it is now the dominant strain in China and Hong Kong.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified NB.1.8.1 as a ?variant under monitoring,? accounting for approximately 10.7 percent of all reported sequences.

A WHO spokesperson said, ?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.?

Though the variant first appeared in early 2025, GISAID data?a global platform for sharing genetic sequences of major disease-causing viruses?shows that the earliest confirmed cases were documented in late April.

NB.1.8.1 Symptoms

Preliminary findings suggest that NB.1.8.1 may spread more readily than earlier variants, but the WHO has not found any indication of increased severity.

?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,? Subhash Verma, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, told CBS News.

?In other words, it is more transmissible.?

Symptoms appear similar to those of other Omicron subvariants and commonly include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, and sore throat.

Infections have been reported in both Northern Ireland and Wales, along with popular travel destinations abroad. However, with fewer people undergoing COVID-19 testing, it has become increasingly difficult to determine the actual number of cases.

Covid Vaccines Against NB.1.8.1

Current COVID-19 vaccines are believed to continue providing protection against this variant and should reduce the risk of severe illness in those infected. (UK Independent)

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