A new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, first detected in China in January, has been designated as a variant of interest by the WHO. Less than 20 cases of NB.1.8.1 have been reported in the U.S. as of May 27, according to the CDC.

A new Covid-19 variant, NB.1.81, initially detected in international travelers, has surfaced in the US, raising concerns among health experts due to i

Preliminary data from researchers in China suggest the NB.1.8.1 variant is not better at evading the immune system compared to other strains on the rise, but it does have a greater ability to bind to human cells, suggesting it could be more transmissible.