New 'razor blade throat' COVID subvariant quickly gains ground in California [View all]

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/razor-blade-throat-covid-subvariant-california-20381353.php

A new COVID-19 variant, nicknamed Nimbus, is rising around the world — including in California — and known for giving “razor blade throat” symptoms.

Officially called NB.1.8.1, the variant was labeled a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization on May 23, according to a recent report. That means it’s not currently a major threat; however, it’s spreading fast enough to raise flags. As of late April, it made up 10.7% of global COVID-19 samples, a jump from 2.5% just a month earlier.

The variant was first spotted in January and carries several genetic changes, particularly in the spike protein, the part of the virus that helps it infect human cells. Some of those changes might help it spread more easily or avoid the body’s immune response, especially in those who were previously infected or vaccinated.


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Reports of severe sore throat symptoms — described by some as feeling like swallowing shards of glass — have drawn attention in recent weeks, but Chin-Hong emphasized that this isn’t a new development.