A new variant of COVID-19 is on the rise globally, but the overall risk to the public remains low, according to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO). [Medscape]

Although the variant, NB.1.8.1, is increasing in proportion to other circulating variants, routine clinical surveillance data have not yielded any signs of increased severity associated with NB.1.8.1 compared to previously circulating variants, the WHO noted in the report.

In a logistic regression model comparing NB.1.8.1 to LP.8.1.1, NB.1.8.1 had an estimated higher relative growth advantage than co-circulating variants, according to the WHO. However, no evidence has appeared of increased COVID-19-related hospital admissions, deaths per hospitalizations, or all-cause mortality associated with the variant, the WHO report stated.

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