Overview

• The World Health Organization has classified NB.1.8.1 as a variant under monitoring but assesses the current public health risk as low.
• First identified on January 22, NB.1.8.1 has spread from Asia to Europe and popular tourist destinations including Egypt, Thailand and the Maldives.
• Clinical reports indicate the variant causes similar respiratory symptoms to earlier strains but with more pronounced fatigue, appetite loss and occasional gastrointestinal distress.
• Infectious disease specialists, including Dr. Luis Buzón, see no evidence that NB.1.8.1 leads to increased severity or mortality compared with prior variants.
• The WHO recommends continued genomic surveillance and tailored health responses without imposing travel or trade restrictions.