FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) — A new COVID-19 subvariant known as NB.1.8.1, or “Nimbus,” is spreading across the United States and gaining traction in California, prompting health officials to urge the public to stay up to date on vaccinations.
The variant, first detected in China, now accounts for an estimated 37% of COVID-19 cases nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In California, the state Department of Public Health projects that Nimbus could soon make up 55% of the circulating virus, up from just 2% in April.
For now, those cases are more focused in northern and southern California.
One of the most talked-about symptoms of the new strain is what patients are calling “razor blade throat”, a severe sore throat that some describe as feeling like swallowing shards of glass.
“With this variant, we are seeing patients presenting with a very painful sore throat, cough, headache, and nasal congestion,” said Dr. Trinidad Solis with the Fresno County Department of Public Health.
Solis says another thing that makes Nimbus unique is its rapid spread.
The Fresno County Department of Public Health is using wastewater surveillance to track the presence of the variant locally. Solis confirmed that NB.1.8.1 has been detected in the region’s wastewater samples in recent weeks.
“We are starting to see COVID cases rise in our region,” she added.
Despite the uptick, national COVID-19 trends remain relatively stable. Test positivity rates are slightly up, but hospitalizations are down, and the CDC reports low levels of viral activity in wastewater nationwide.
Health officials continue to recommend basic precautions: frequent handwashing, masking in crowded indoor spaces, and staying current with COVID-19 vaccinations. The 2024-2025 vaccines remain effective against the Nimbus variant, and updated shots targeting newer strains are expected this fall.
In Fresno County, residents can access up to two free COVID-19 test kits while supplies last. Mobile health units are also available to provide vaccines across the region, no questions asked.
