COVID cases are rising again as a new variant spreads across several regions of the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the latest surge is concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific. Now, signs point to the United States experiencing a similar trend.
The variant NB.1.8.1 (nicknamed “Nimbus”) has been linked to a resurgence of cases in China and other parts of Asia and is now rapidly gaining ground in the US. European health authorities have also expressed concern over a potential rise in cases as the variant circulates globally.
As of June 7, NB.1.8.1 accounted for about one-third of new COVID-19 cases in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a significant jump from just 5% a month earlier. Officials are closely monitoring the spread and caution that a summer wave remains possible.
This wave follows the spread of the XEC variant in the autumn of 2024, which raised concerns about a severe winter marked by rising hospitalizations. However, while XEC did spread widely, the feared surge in hospital admissions never materialized. Experts say this may be one of several signs that COVID-19 is gradually becoming more mild as a disease. Could it be? Click on for more.