A new Covid-19 variant circulating in Ho Chi Minh City has been found

On the evening of May 24, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health had the latest information about the Covid-19 variant currently circulating in the area.

Specifically, the Covid-19 research team of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital for Tropical Diseases and the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) conducted gene sequencing of a number of patients with a clinical diagnosis of Covid-19 admitted to the hospital in the third week of May.

The results showed that 83% of the sequenced samples were NB.1.8.1.

83% of gene sequencing samples of some patients diagnosed with Covid-19 are NB.1.8.1 (Illustration: Manh Quan).

The World Health Organization's SARS-CoV-2 variant surveillance program has not classified NB.1.8.1 into any of the three risk groups: VUM (variant under surveillance), VOI (variant of concern) and VOC (variant of concern).

Scientific data to date have not shown any difference in the level of spread or severity of the NB.1.8.1 variant compared to previously circulating variants.

NB.1.8.1 is a sub-variant of the XDV.1 variant derived from the XDV variant. The XDV variant was formed from genetic recombination between the JN.1 variant and the XDE variant.

According to information from the genome database, the first genome of NB.1.8.1 was first published in early 2025.

As of May 22, NB.1.8.1 has been detected in 22 countries around the world including Australia, Cambodia, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong (China), Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan (China), Thailand, UK and US.

According to experts, the appearance of the new variant NB.1.8.1 may be the cause of the increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Ho Chi Minh City in recent weeks. This is a common phenomenon when a new variant appears.

In Taiwan (China), NB.1.8.1 is currently the dominant variant causing the disease. Most severe cases are cases that have not been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 according to the recommendations of the host country, in the elderly or those with underlying diseases.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also just announced that the NB.1.8.1 variant has been detected in many international travelers arriving at major US airports in recent weeks. This variant is believed to be driving the increase in cases across China and some areas in Asia, according to CBS News .

In Ho Chi Minh City, as of May 18, the infectious disease surveillance system recorded an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in the area over the past 4 weeks.

On average, the city recorded 11 Covid-19 cases per week, a sharp increase compared to the first 15 weeks of the year (1-2 cases per week).

In week 20 alone (from May 12 to May 18), the entire city recorded 26 cases, an increase of 16 cases compared to the average of the previous 4 weeks (10 cases/week).

Accumulated from the beginning of 2025 to now, Ho Chi Minh City has had 79 Covid-19 cases, 75.5% lower than the same period in 2024. Of which, 43 cases were inpatients and 36 cases were outpatients, with no severe cases requiring respiratory support.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has also issued an official dispatch on proactively implementing Covid-19 prevention and control in the city in the current situation.

The Department of Health recommends that people do not panic but also not be subjective in the face of unpredictable developments of the Covid-19 epidemic in the world, proactively implementing epidemic prevention and control measures according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health to protect themselves, their families and the community.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/da-tim-ra-bien-chung-covid-19-dang-luu-hanh-tai-tphcm-20250524204947499.htm