Key Points: New Covid Strain
- New Covid strain NB.1.81 confirmed in the U.S., including NYC
- First detected in March–April in travelers from Asia
- CDC says U.S. cases are low but variant spreads faster
- Hong Kong sees highest hospitalizations in a year
- China reports ER visits and COVID admissions have doubled
- 81 severe cases and 30 deaths reported in recent surge
- Trump administration to restrict boosters to high-risk groups
Variant From China Lands in NYC
A new Covid strain that caused chaos across China has now touched down in the U.S.—including right here in New York City. Health officials are sounding the alarm after identifying the NB.1.81 variant in multiple states, with confirmed cases in California, Virginia, Washington, Hawaii, Ohio, Rhode Island—and now, NYC.
The CDC says it began detecting the strain in late March among international travelers arriving from Asia. Though case numbers are still low, doctors say the variant is spreading faster than previous ones.
And what China has just gone through may be a grim preview of what’s coming next.
Hospitals in China Flooded With New Cases
In China, this new Covid strain has surged so dramatically that hospitals are packed. Emergency room visits for COVID have doubled. So have hospital admissions.
In Hong Kong, authorities described the wave as the worst in a year. In just four weeks, 81 severe cases and 30 deaths were recorded—most among elderly patients.
In mainland China, public health officials say COVID-related ER visits jumped from 7.5% to 16% in a month. Hospital admissions for COVID? Now over 6%, according to China Daily.
Despite the wave, Chinese state media continues to downplay the danger.
CDC Warns but Doesn’t Track
The CDC admits there are too few NB.1.81 cases to track precisely in the U.S.—for now. But international surveillance paints a troubling picture.
Airport screenings show infected travelers came from hotspots like Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, France, and the Netherlands. One American traveler caught the variant in Thailand and tested positive after returning to the States.
Experts say this strain is more contagious and could outpace earlier variants.
Experts: Not Deadlier, But Faster
Dr. Subhash Verma, a microbiology expert at the University of Nevada, warned the variant has a “growth advantage,” meaning it spreads faster.
“It is more transmissible,” Verma told CBS News.
Dr. Amy Edwards from Case Western Reserve agreed. She added that so far, NB.1.81 doesn’t appear more deadly—but it’s leading to more hospitalizations wherever it shows up.
That includes older adults, who remain the most vulnerable to complications.
Vaccines May Offer Less Protection
In a troubling development, Hong Kong’s top health official, Dr. Edwin Tsui, warned that the virus might be evading vaccine protections.
While no variant has yet proven fully resistant, the warning suggests we could be facing a strain that’s one step ahead of current immunity.
The Centre for Health Protection said it will continue to monitor for signs that NB.1.81 could evolve into a more dangerous, vaccine-mismatched version.
U.S. to Limit Boosters
In the face of the new strain, the Trump administration announced it will restrict annual boosters to seniors and high-risk groups only.
The CDC also said it will no longer recommend the vaccine for healthy children or pregnant women, a major shift in national policy.
Some doctors support the move, citing limited vaccine effectiveness against transmission. Others fear it could backfire if new variants grow stronger.
America’s Covid Future at a Crossroads
NB.1.81 might not bring back lockdowns—but its arrival signals that the virus is far from finished. As China battles new surges, and U.S. cases begin to pop up, the question looms: Are we prepared for the next wave?
The answers may depend on how fast we respond—and whether we learn anything from what happened overseas.
