World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified the new COVID variant, NB.1.8.1, detected in January, as a descendant of Omicron JN.1.
WHO had announced the variant spreading worldwide and causing concern among global health authorities.
It confirmed that the variant was responsible for a number of infections globally, prompting it to designate it as a “variant under monitoring” due to its prevalence and potential to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccination.
It had gained ground, with WHO data showing it accounted for 10.7 per cent of globally sequenced cases between April 21 and 27, a significant rise from 2.5 per cent a month earlier.
Professor and research leader in Virology and Infectious Diseases at Griffith University, Lara Herrero, said that due to its numerous mutations, the new strain might be more efficient at infecting cells than earlier variants.
Herrero explains: “A person infected with NB.1.8.1 may be more likely to pass the virus on to someone else, compared to earlier variants. The evidence so far suggests NB.1.8.1 may spread more easily and may partially sidestep immunity from prior infections or vaccination. These factors could explain its rise in sequencing data,“ she said.
WHO has urged countries to stay alert and monitor the evolution of new variants closely to avoid overwhelming healthcare systems. The agency also continues to recommend keeping up with appropriate vaccination schedules, as outlined in its May 28 health bulletin.
MEANWHILE, WHO has linked respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to approximately 100,000 child deaths globally each year, unveiling new recommendations aimed at reducing this toll through targeted immunisation strategies.
In its first-ever position paper on RSV immunisation, published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record, WHO described the virus as a major public health threat to infants, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
According to the organisation, RSV also causes over 3.6 million hospitalisations in children under five yearly. Nearly half of the deaths occur in babies younger than six months, with 97 per cent of total RSV-related child deaths reported in countries where access to medical care is limited.
To combat the high mortality rate, WHO now recommends the use of two immunisation products: a maternal vaccine and a monoclonal antibody injection for infants.
According to WHO, the maternal vaccine, RSVpreF, which received WHO prequalification in March 2025, should be administered to pregnant women during the third trimester, starting from the 28th week, to allow sufficient antibody transfer to their babies before birth.
The second product, nirsevimab, is a long-acting monoclonal antibody given as a single injection to newborns. WHO recommends that the dose be administered at birth or before discharge from a birthing facility, but if missed at birth, it can be given at the infant’s first health visit.
