A new COVID-19 variant nicknamed “razor blade throat” is making headlines for a painful symptom that feels like swallowing sharp objects. Officially named NB.1.8.1—or “Nimbus”—the variant is being linked to intense sore throats and has shown up in multiple countries, raising fresh questions as global cases begin to rise again.
Doctors in the UK, India, and other regions are reporting this particularly sharp sore throat as a standout symptom, though other traditional COVID signs like fever, chills, coughing, and loss of taste or smell are still common.
According to the World Health Organization, the recent uptick in cases tied to the Nimbus variant is showing up mainly in Southeast Asia, the eastern Mediterranean, and the western Pacific. By mid-May, Nimbus accounted for nearly 11% of sequenced COVID samples worldwide. Airport screenings in the U.S. have already detected the variant in travelers landing in California, Washington, Virginia, and New York.
Despite the painful symptoms, health experts are not sounding the alarm. The WHO says there’s no current evidence suggesting Nimbus leads to more severe illness than past variants. It’s listed as a “variant under monitoring” and is considered a low public health risk globally.
Current vaccines are still effective against Nimbus, offering protection against serious illness. However, a controversial decision by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last month stopped the recommendation of COVID-19 shots for healthy children and pregnant women, drawing criticism from many public health professionals.
As cases tick up in some regions, experts urge people to remain cautious but not panic—just be aware of the symptoms, especially that burning sore throat that’s earning this variant its sharp new name.
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