CDC Confirms Spread of New COVID-19 Variant NB.1.8.1 in U.S. Amid Surge in China

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that a newly emerging COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, which has been linked to a significant increase in hospitalizations in China, has spread to various locations in the United States.

According to CBS News, the CDC verified that the NB.1.8.1 strain, associated with a notable spike in COVID-19 cases in China, has been detected in different regions across the U.S. The earliest U.S. cases were identified through an international traveler airport screening program during March and April.

In a statement obtained by CBS News, a CDC spokesperson stated, “CDC is aware of reported cases of COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 in China and is in regular contact with international partners.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) noted in an executive summary that the NB.1.8.1 variant has been designated as a SARS-CoV-2 “variant under monitoring” (VUM) due to its increasing global proportions, while a previously dominant variant, LP.8.1, is now in decline. Despite the rise in hospitalizations in regions where NB.1.8.1 is prevalent, WHO evaluated the global public health risk of the variant as “low.”

“Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation,” the WHO said.

The New York Post reported that although the CDC has confirmed the presence of NB.1.8.1 in the United States, the number of cases remains too low for inclusion in the agency’s regular variant tracking estimates. However, medical experts have warned that the pattern of rapid spread observed in China suggests the strain may transmit more efficiently than previous variants.

Earlier in May, Hong Kong’s government announced that COVID-19 cases had reached a “one-year high,” with hospitalizations significantly rising due to the NB.1.8.1 variant. Chinese state media reported that the number of COVID-19 patients visiting emergency rooms had more than doubled within one month.

Dr. Amy Edwards, professor of pediatrics, told CBS News, “What they’re seeing in China, Hong Kong and some other areas where this variant has really surged, is an increase in hospitalization.”

Dr. Edwin Tsui, head of Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP), emphasized caution, stating that the new variant “should not be taken lightly” and warned of the “possible emergence of more virulent or vaccine-mismatched strains of the virus in the future.”