The most recent variant concerning Covid-19 is rapidly advancing among the US data of the centers for the control and prevention of diseases shows that NB.1.8.1 has started to supplant other circulating strains of the Coronavirus.
According to the last of the CDC NowCovering the last two weeks until June 7, NB.1.8.1 is probably causing 37% of all Covid-19 cases in the United States, just behind the current dominant variant, LP.8.1 (38%). It is an estimate, but the numbers of the CDC indicate a great wave in the cases NB.1.8.1 from last month, when officials took over it for the first time in the country. Although it is not certain, it is possible that NB.1.8.1 can guide a renewed peak of Covid-19 this summer.
The World Health Organization recognized for the first time NB.1.8.1 as a variant that is worth monitoring in mid -May, although it was initially detected in late January. Since then, it has become a growing threat. At the beginning of June, it is believed that about a quarter of all global cases both NB.1.8.1, second Data who. The Covid-19 activity in general was also increasing in some regions of the world and nb.1.8.1 it was connected to recent increases in cases and hospitalizations in some parts of Asia, including China.
So far in the United States, however, the situation does not seem to worsen drastically. The positivity rate of the Covid-19 test starting from weekend It is 3%, only a check mark over the previous week. Also the hospitalizations and deaths relating to Covid-1 have left constant and low. And NB.1.8.1 does not seem to cause a more serious disease on average than other circulating variants. Today’s variants still belong to the murderous lineage of the virus, which means that they have not substantially changed on a genetic level and updated vaccines boosters should still be effective against NB.1.8.1.
At the same time, nb.1.8.1 could be quite different from the other strains that it can become the dominant variant that goes on; Some initial tests suggest that NB.1.8.1 has mutations that could increase its transmissibility. Last winter was also unusually silent for Covid-19, with low circulation in the United States and elsewhere, but this could prepare the ground for a wider peak this summer, the experts warned.
“We do not foresee the variant NB.1.8.1 to involve a risk to public health greater than other variants of Moraron descendant, nor do we foresee a significant impact on the effectiveness of the vaccine against serious diseases,” said Edoardo Colzani, head of the respiratory virus unit at the European Center for the prevention and control of diseases, in a declaration released during the weekend. “However, following a winter with low SARS-COV-2 circulation, the immunity of the population against Sars-Cov-2 could be partially fallen, in particular among the oldest adults and other individuals at greatest risk of serious diseases, increasing the vulnerability in a tie with the increase in virus activity.”
Thanks to the vaccination and immunity of the population, the danger of Covid-19 has greatly lowered over time. But this summer it could certainly provide an unwelcome reminder of the misery it can cause.
