A recent uptick in COVID-19 cases among international travelers arriving in the United States has been linked to a newly emerging variant of the virus that’s fueling a spike in infections across parts of Asia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s airport screening initiative, individuals landing in California, Virginia, Washington, and the New York City area have tested positive for the NB.1.8.1 variant.
CBS News reported Friday that these findings come from genomic data uploaded by Ginkgo Bioworks, the CDC’s partner in airport surveillance testing. The NB.1.8.1 variant is believed to be responsible for a significant wave of infections currently spreading through China.
Between April 22 and May 12, travelers arriving from a wide range of countries—including China, Taiwan, Japan, France, South Korea, Thailand, the Netherlands, Spain, and Vietnam—tested positive for the strain, based on sequencing results shared on GISAID, the international virus database.
In addition to the airport screening cases, state health departments in Ohio, Rhode Island, and Hawaii have also independently identified instances of the variant within their communities.
The earliest detections of NB.1.8.1 in the U.S. were in California and Washington, with samples dating back to late March and early April.
The emergence of this strain coincides with recent announcements by senior Food and Drug Administration officials who outlined new guidelines for annual COVID vaccinations. The agency will no longer routinely authorize these vaccines for healthy individuals aged 64 and under or for children.
Back in Asia, the NB.1.8.1 variant is driving a marked increase in COVID activity. Hong Kong health authorities report that virus transmission has reached its highest point in over a year, with emergency rooms and hospitals seeing a sharp rise in patients. However, officials noted there is no current evidence that the new variant causes more severe illness.
In Taiwan, public health officials are seeing a parallel increase in COVID-related deaths and emergency room cases, prompting the government to build reserves of vaccines and antiviral treatments in anticipation of greater demand.
Chinese scientists have found that NB.1.8.1 may have an enhanced ability to bind to human cells, which could account for its apparent high transmissibility.
Meanwhile, both Pfizer and Moderna have presented initial findings to the FDA suggesting this year’s COVID shot be reformulated to target a descendant of the JN.1 lineage, which has dominated recent infection patterns and may offer protection against NB.1.8.1 as well.
The FDA’s advisory panel supported the move to target a JN.1-based strain, though opinions varied. Some panel members preferred allowing manufacturers to continue using last season’s version, while others backed the newer prototype vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna.
“Although one can’t predict evolution, and you don’t know how this is going to keep diversifying, the overwhelming odds are that what does come and predominate in the next few months, the next six months, next year will come from something that’s circulating now. It won’t come from something that doesn’t exist any longer,” said Jerry Weir, who leads the FDA’s division of viral products.

{Matzav.com}