A new Covid variant has spread to the U.S., including in New York state.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said recently that NB.1.8.1, a new mutation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that sparked the coronavirus pandemic beginning in late 2019, has been detected in people arriving at airports in the United States. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called it a “variant under monitoring” after the virus became the dominant strain in China, leading to a spike in hospitalizations this year.
The CDC said health officials detected the variant in a handful of states beginning in March, including California, Hawaii, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. According to Time, cases were detected through a program that randomly tests travelers at U.S. airports.
According to the New York Post, there are too few cases to show up in the CDC’s variant estimates, but experts have warned NB.1.8.1 spreads more quickly than previous versions of Covid. Hong Kong authorities said in April that Covid cases spiked to the worst levels in at least a year, leading to a “significant increase” in emergency room visits and hospitalizations in the last month due to the variant.
CBS reports NB.1.8.1 symptoms are “broadly similar to those seen in earlier strains of the virus,” according to Subhash Verma, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. The most frequent Covid symptoms include cough, sore throat, fever and fatigue.
The good news is the new Covid variant is still part of the Omicron family, so current vaccines and immunity from recent infections may protect you from serious illness. According to Time, the FDA’s vaccine committee met May 22 to discuss vaccine updates for fall that target LP.8.1, a variant that is related to NB.1.8.1 and the current vaccines’ target strain, JN.1.
Verman told CBS that early data also shows NB.1.8.1 also does not suggest severe illnesses compared to previous variants. However, it appears to be more transmissible than earlier Covid strains.
Vaccinations are recommend to prevent more severe illness, especially for older people and those with weakened immune systems. The FDA said last month it will continue recommending booster shots for seniors and those with underlying medical conditions, but younger and healthier Americans may not have ready access this fall or be forced to pay out of pocket.
According to the CDC, more than 1.2 million Americans have died from or with Covid-19 since January 2020. At least 11,000 U.S. deaths have been recorded in 2025 alone, including nearly 1,000 deaths reported in New York state since Jan. 4.