COVID-19 cases are increasing again as a new variant spreads in parts of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on May 28 that the rise in cases is happening mainly in the Eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific.
In the US, airport screenings have identified the variant in travelers arriving from those regions to California, Washington, Virginia, and New York. Named NB.1.8.1, the variant’s emergence coincides with a shift in the United States' approach to COVID-19 vaccination.
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.