A new COVID variant known as NB.1.8.1 is on the rise in the U.S. and beyond, landing on the radar of health officials. The variant, first identified in January 2025, is now being closely monitored, with cases already popping up across several states.
A report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) Technical Advisory Group states that the global public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is currently low; it also says, however, that the variant’s mutations may increase its ability to be transmitted. Learn how you can stay vigilant in case of potential COVID surges this summer.
NB.1.8.1 is an Omicron descendant lineage of SARS-CoV-2; having already spread rapidly in Asia, the variant has made its way into the U.S., Europe, and Australia. The WHO report confirms that as of May 18, 2025, NB.1.8.1 has appeared in 22 countries.
Cases in the U.S. have entered through airports, caught during screenings ...
