The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a fresh warning amid a noticeable uptick in Covid-19 cases worldwide, attributing the rise to a newly emerging variant, NB.1.8.1, which is currently under investigation.
Although the new strain does not appear to be more dangerous than earlier variants, WHO stressed that the virus’s continued mutation could potentially trigger future waves of infection. The rise in cases is also in line with Covid-19’s observed seasonal behavior.
Despite the increase, the need for hospital admissions and intensive care remains low, thanks to widespread vaccination and community immunity, WHO noted.
Still, the agency assessed the global risk level as “high,” and called on nations to ramp up health monitoring, integrate Covid-19 response into broader respiratory disease plans, fight misinformation, and encourage the public to stick to preventive practices.