A new, highly contagious strain of Covid-19 that has driven a wave of hospitalisations across China has now surfaced in the United States, including cases in New York City, federal health officials confirmed this week.
Known as NB.1.81, the variant was first detected in US between late March and early April among international travellers arriving at airports in California, Washington State, Virginia, and New York. Additional cases have since been identified in Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii, according to the centres for disease control and prevention (CDC).
Though current numbers remain low in the US, public health experts are warning that the variant’s rapid spread across Asia may foreshadow a new wave of infections. “It appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily,” said Subhash Verma, a microbiologist at the University of Nevada.
NB.1.81 became the dominant strain in China earlier this year, prompting a noticeable surge in Covid-related emergency room visits and hospitalisations. In Hong Kong, officials reported the highest number of cases in over a year, with 81 severe infections and 30 deaths, mostly among those aged 65 and older, recorded in the past four weeks.
Mainland China has also seen Covid-related ER visits more than double, from 7.5% to over 16% of all patients. Hospital admissions rose by more than 6%, according to local health authorities.
Despite the rise in hospitalisations, Chinese and Hong Kong officials have downplayed the threat, insisting the variant is not more dangerous than previous strains. However, health experts remain cautious.
“What they’re seeing in China, Hong Kong, and other regions is clearly a spike in hospitalisations,” said Dr Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Case Western Reserve University. “That’s not something we can ignore.”
US airport surveillance has revealed that the variant has travelled with infected individuals passing through countries including Japan, South Korea, France, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Netherlands, highlighting its global reach.
The variant causes typical Covid symptoms—sore throat, cough, fatigue, and fever—but scientists are concerned about its ability to partially evade existing vaccine protections. Dr Edwin Tsui, head of Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection, warned that NB.1.81 should not be taken lightly, citing “early signs of vaccine mismatch.”
The CDC, meanwhile, is adjusting its guidance. On Tuesday, it announced it would no longer recommend Covid vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. The Trump administration has also signalled plans to restrict booster shots to only high-risk groups, such as seniors.
As scientists track the variant’s behaviour and transmissibility, experts urge caution and renewed attention to public health measures . “It may not be more severe, but its ability to spread faster means we could see more cases and more hospitalisations if we're not prepared,” said Dr Edwards.
Known as NB.1.81, the variant was first detected in US between late March and early April among international travellers arriving at airports in California, Washington State, Virginia, and New York. Additional cases have since been identified in Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii, according to the centres for disease control and prevention (CDC).
Though current numbers remain low in the US, public health experts are warning that the variant’s rapid spread across Asia may foreshadow a new wave of infections. “It appears to have a growth advantage, suggesting it may spread more easily,” said Subhash Verma, a microbiologist at the University of Nevada.
NB.1.81 became the dominant strain in China earlier this year, prompting a noticeable surge in Covid-related emergency room visits and hospitalisations. In Hong Kong, officials reported the highest number of cases in over a year, with 81 severe infections and 30 deaths, mostly among those aged 65 and older, recorded in the past four weeks.
Mainland China has also seen Covid-related ER visits more than double, from 7.5% to over 16% of all patients. Hospital admissions rose by more than 6%, according to local health authorities.
Despite the rise in hospitalisations, Chinese and Hong Kong officials have downplayed the threat, insisting the variant is not more dangerous than previous strains. However, health experts remain cautious.
“What they’re seeing in China, Hong Kong, and other regions is clearly a spike in hospitalisations,” said Dr Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Case Western Reserve University. “That’s not something we can ignore.”
US airport surveillance has revealed that the variant has travelled with infected individuals passing through countries including Japan, South Korea, France, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Netherlands, highlighting its global reach.
The variant causes typical Covid symptoms—sore throat, cough, fatigue, and fever—but scientists are concerned about its ability to partially evade existing vaccine protections. Dr Edwin Tsui, head of Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection, warned that NB.1.81 should not be taken lightly, citing “early signs of vaccine mismatch.”
The CDC, meanwhile, is adjusting its guidance. On Tuesday, it announced it would no longer recommend Covid vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. The Trump administration has also signalled plans to restrict booster shots to only high-risk groups, such as seniors.
As scientists track the variant’s behaviour and transmissibility, experts urge caution and renewed attention to public health measures . “It may not be more severe, but its ability to spread faster means we could see more cases and more hospitalisations if we're not prepared,” said Dr Edwards.
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