The new variant of COVID-19 «Nimbus» causes «sore throat» — what do you need to know?
20 june 2025 в 21:13
With the arrival of summer, everyone is looking forward to beach days and sunny weather. But on the rise is a new variant of COVID-19. Known as NB.1.8.1, also known as «Nimbus», - this virus mutation has been nicknamed «razor blade throat pain».
Below, we will discuss everything you need to know about the new COVID variant and how to prevent infection.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first sample of NB.1.8.1 was collected earlier this year in January 2025. It was first detected in China, then spread to Europe, and now to the USA. Among the symptoms of this variant are common, typical of most COVID infections: sore throat, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, nasal congestion, loss of taste and/or smell, fatigue, muscle and body aches, headache, and nausea.
Most people infected with the NB.1.8.1 variant reported throat pain that was worse than before. Many said they felt sharp throat pains, causing a very unpleasant sensation when swallowing.
This is how the term «razor blade throat pain» became associated with this form of COVID. However, it is unclear whether the feeling of a «razor» is more common in patients who are more up-to-date vaccinated against COVID compared to those who are not vaccinated, ABC News reports.
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, said: «I think it’s definitely among the spectrum of symptoms that can occur, and we know that throat pain is reported in about 70 percent of COVID patients, so it’s not unusual, and as in all of medicine, there’s always a spectrum», - according to ABC News.
Dr. Chin-Hong said this virus variant appears to be more contagious. Like other viruses, NB.1.8.1 spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes in the presence of an uninfected person.
To avoid infection, wash your hands and avoid contact with sick individuals.
Other viruses usually start with throat pain in different patients, but with NB.1.8.1, people complain of more sweaty fevers and extremely painful throat pains. With most other viruses, throat pain is accompanied by a dry, painful, or burning sensation when swallowing. With NB.1.8.1, throat pain is accompanied by sharp pains
Below, we will discuss everything you need to know about the new COVID variant and how to prevent infection.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the first sample of NB.1.8.1 was collected earlier this year in January 2025. It was first detected in China, then spread to Europe, and now to the USA. Among the symptoms of this variant are common, typical of most COVID infections: sore throat, cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath, nasal congestion, loss of taste and/or smell, fatigue, muscle and body aches, headache, and nausea.
Most people infected with the NB.1.8.1 variant reported throat pain that was worse than before. Many said they felt sharp throat pains, causing a very unpleasant sensation when swallowing.
This is how the term «razor blade throat pain» became associated with this form of COVID. However, it is unclear whether the feeling of a «razor» is more common in patients who are more up-to-date vaccinated against COVID compared to those who are not vaccinated, ABC News reports.
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, said: «I think it’s definitely among the spectrum of symptoms that can occur, and we know that throat pain is reported in about 70 percent of COVID patients, so it’s not unusual, and as in all of medicine, there’s always a spectrum», - according to ABC News.
Dr. Chin-Hong said this virus variant appears to be more contagious. Like other viruses, NB.1.8.1 spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes in the presence of an uninfected person.
To avoid infection, wash your hands and avoid contact with sick individuals.
Other viruses usually start with throat pain in different patients, but with NB.1.8.1, people complain of more sweaty fevers and extremely painful throat pains. With most other viruses, throat pain is accompanied by a dry, painful, or burning sensation when swallowing. With NB.1.8.1, throat pain is accompanied by sharp pains
© Kolganov Andrey
