E-Paper
What we know about Covid variant ‘Nimbus’ known for ‘razor blade throat’ amid surge in cases
The new variant Nimbus is a subvariant of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. The variant has garnered global attention due to its ‘razor blade throat’ symptom.
A new Covid variant is on the rise. According to reports, the most recent variant of the coronavirus has been identified as the "Nimbus" variant, known for causing a “razor blade throat”.
The new variant “Nimbus”, officially known as the NB.1.8.1, as per an Associated Press report, has been detected in several US states such as Washington, New York, California and Virginia. Furthermore, the variant has also been detected in Australia and the UK.
What is the Nimbus variant?
As per the World Health Organisation, Nimbus is a subvariant of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, which causes Covid-19. Under the WHO list of Covid variants to watch for, Nimbus has been classified as a “variant under monitoring”.
“The WHO assesses the additional risk to the global public as currently low, and existing Covid-19 vaccines are considered effective in preventing severe disease,” Dr Naveed Asif, a general practitioner at The London General Practice, told The Independent.
Where has Nimbus been detected?
As per the data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the new Omicron variant is currently responsible for one-third of coronavirus cases in the United States (37 per cent).
Furthermore, according to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data, the new variant has been detected in at least 13 US states.
The variant was also detected in the UK. As per the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA, Britain saw a 10 percent jump in hospitalisation with around 947 patients admitted in the week ending May 31. of this, at least 13 cases have been attributed to Nimbus.
What are its symptoms?
The Nimbus variant also carries symptoms similar to the Omicron variant, such as congestion, fatigue, mild cough, fever, loss of taste and smell, runny nose, loss of appetite and muscle aches.
However, the variant has garnered global attention due to an unusually painful symptom called "razor blade throat." As the phrase says, patients have likened this symptom to having a razor blade stuck down your throat.
Despite this symptom, WHO has stated that the Nimbus variant does not appear to cause more severe illness than previous strains and is still at the low risk category.
