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THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION SAYS THE NEW VARIANT HAS BEEN DETECTED IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES AND IS RAPIDLY BECOMING DOMINANT IN SOME PLACES NEIL SHAW Assistant Editor (Money and Lifestyle)

07:47, 29 May 2025Updated 14:42, 29 May 2025 A new strain of coronavirus is spreading rapidly in multiple countries, including three destinations popular with UK holidaymakers, prompting the

World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue an alert. An expert has explained the symptoms of the new strain, saying it appears to be able to spread more easily and quickly than previous

variants. The WHO has warned over a surge in Covid cases with the new variant now responsible for more than 10 per cent of all infections. The WHO has designated the new strain NB.1.8.1 as a

'variant under monitoring' amid concern about the sharp rise in cases. By late April 2025, NB.1.8.1 comprised roughly 10.7% of all submitted sequences – up from just 2.5% four

weeks before. It is already the dominant strain in Hong Kong and China. Lara Herrero Associate Professor and Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, at Griffith University said

thanks to multiple mutations the new strain ' may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains'. The strain has been detected in multiple countries, including Australia, the

US and possibly the UK. Professor Herrero said: "It’s possible a person infected with NB.1.8.1 may be more likely to pass the virus on to someone else, compared to earlier variants. The

evidence so far suggests NB.1.8.1 may spread more easily and may partially sidestep immunity from prior infections or vaccination. These factors could explain its rise in sequencing data.

Article continues below "But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should

align closely with other Omicron subvariants. "Common symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also

occur in some cases." GET COVID-19 UPDATES STRAIGHT TO YOUR WHATSAPP! As the UK attempts to live alongside Covid-19 following the pandemic, the Mirror has launched its very own Health

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you can read our PRIVACY NOTICE. CLICK HERE TO JOIN A WHO report reads: "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." The new strain is being found in large numbers in the Eastern Mediterranean, an area including the tourist destination of Egypt. It is also being found in South East

Asia - including in Thailand and the Maldives. The WHO said recent increases have also been observed in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore. The report reads: " WHO recommends that

countries remain vigilant, adapt to evolving epidemiological trends, and leverage COVID-19 management strategies to strengthen systems for all respiratory disease threats. Member States

should continue offering COVID-19 vaccines in line with WHO recommendations. Article continues below "Based on the current risk assessment of this event, WHO advises against imposing

travel or trade restrictions."