NB.1.8.1 was first discovered in the United States in late March-early April among passengers of international flights arriving at airports in California, Washington, Virginia and New York, the article said. It is noted that other cases were also recorded in OGIO, RHO-Island and Hawaii.
CDC notes that now there are few cases of this strain in the United States to add it to the official statistics of the virus options. However, experts warn that the spread of this strain in China indicates its higher contagiousness compared to other dominant respiratory options.
Experts carefully tracked NB.1.8.1 after he became dominant in China this year, causing a new outbreak of incidence throughout Asia, journalists write. They added that Hong Kong authorities report a sharp growth of Covid-19 cases-to the highest level at least over the past year. Over the past month alone, they recorded a significant increase in visits to emergency departments and hospitalizations related to this option, the media emphasized. Over the past four weeks, they registered 81 difficult cases, including 30 deaths. It is reported that the vast majority are people aged 65+.
In mainland China, the proportion of patients with Covid-19, who contacts emergency care departments, increased more than doubled-from 7.5% to more than 16%, according to healthcare authorities. The share of hospitalized also increased and exceeds 6%, the China Daily state edition reports.
Despite these data, the Hong Kong government is trying to diminish the danger of the strain, stating that it does not look more dangerous than previous options, the authors of the article believe. However, Dr. Amy Edwards, professor of pediatrics of the University of Keis Western Reserve, in an interview with CBS News, emphasized that in regions with the rapid spread of this strain – China, Hong Kong and some, the number of hospitalizations has increased.
Testing at airports conducted by CDC revealed the scale of distribution: infected with this option traveled through China, Japan, South Korea, France, Thailand, Netherlands, Spain, Vietnam and Taiwan.
Like the previous variants of Covid-19, NB.1.8.1 can cause cough, sore throat, fever and fatigue, Media notes. However, the professor of microbiology and immunology of the University of Nevada Subhash Vertom noted that the new version has a “growth advantage”, which indicates an easier spread.
Both Verm and Edwards emphasize that now the new strain is not more like a heavier. But Dr. Edwin Tsui, the head of the Hong Kong Health Center, warns that it should not be frivolous about him, since the virus, allegedly, evolved so that it is even more efficient to avoid protection provided by vaccines against Covid-19.
