A newly identified coronavirus variant that is the NB.1.8.1 and nicknamed Nimbus has been added to the World Health Organization’s list of variants under observation. Preliminary information suggests it may spread slightly more easily than earlier strains.
Published: 06/06/25 | 16:43
According to the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) there are five cases of this new variant that have been confirmed in Finland.
The Nimbus variant, which was first detected in Asia in January, has been spreading since late April with China experiencing a significant increase in both infections and hospitalizations. Thailand has also reported a surge in cases with infections starting from 6,000 to 33,000 within a matter of days.
The variant has now been identified in over 20 countries including South Korea, Australia, the United States and several European nations such as the UK, Germany, France and Sweden.
Despite this, the situation in Finland remains stable with only a limited number of infections currently reported.
“We’ll have to monitor the situation closely,” says Erika Lindh who is a specialist researcher at THL. “The WHO suggests this variant might evade existing immunity slightly better than current variants, though not to a significant extent.”
Lindh emphasizes that vaccinations continue to offer protection, particularly against severe illness caused by the new variant.
Early international reports indicate that Nimbus does not lead to more severe symptoms than earlier strains. Its typical symptoms are sore throat, fever, coughing and fatigue that are consistent with those of previous variants. However, some data emphasizes this variant may cause digestive issues including diarrhea, more frequently.
With summer holidays approaching and travel on the rise, Lindh advises travelers to maintain good hand hygiene but not just to avoid coronavirus, but to reduce the risk of all infectious diseases.
“Good handwashing practices are especially important when traveling,” she notes.
