The latest variant of the coronavirus, Nimbus, has arrived in Hungary. Should we fear it?

According to wastewater tests carried out by the NNGYK, the Nimbus variant of the coronavirus, which is spreading worldwide, has already appeared in Hungary (NB.1.8.1).

Over the past two months, the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments in wastewater has increased, primarily due to the emergence of the new variant.

The virus continues to circulate at a low level in Hungary, and there are no signs of a major outbreak in the country,

the statement said.

The World Health Organization IWHO) has designated NB.1.8.1, a.k.a. Nimbus, a SARS-CoV-2 variant under monitoring (VUM) with increasing proportions globally on 23 May.

The typical symptoms are a cough, a sore throat, a blocked nose, a headache, fatigue and, less commonly, a fever or gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea.

Considering the available evidence,

• the additional public health risk posed by NB.1.8.1 is evaluated as low at the global level.
• urrently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective to this variant against symptomatic and severe disease.
• Despite a concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread, current data do not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness than other variants in circulation.

NB.1.8.1 is a SARS-CoV-2 variant derived from the recombinant variant XDV.1.5.1, with the earliest sample collected on 22 January 2025. NB.1.8.1 is one of six VUMs tracked by the WHO and was designated as a VUM on 23 May 2025.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in mid-June that it is closely monitoring increasing SARS-CoV-2 activity in the EU/EEA, and the emergence of the recently identified Omicron-descendant variant NB.1.8.1, which has been associated with a rise in infections in some countries in Asia, including China, Hong Kong and Singapore. ECDC is tracking five SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating in the EU/EEA, including NB.1.8.1, now classified as a ‘variant under monitoring’ by both ECDC and the WHO.

"We do not anticipate the NB.1.8.1 variant to pose a greater public health risk than other Omicron-descendant variants, nor do we expect a significant impact on vaccine effectiveness against severe disease. However, following a winter with low SARS-CoV-2 circulation, population immunity against SARS-CoV-2 may have partly waned – particularly among older adults and other individuals who are at higher risk of severe disease – potentially increasing vulnerability as virus activity rises," said Edoardo Colzani, ECDC Head of Respiratory Viruses.  

A jellemző tünetek köhögés, torokfájás, orrdugulás, fejfájás, fáradtság, ritkábban láz vagy emésztőrendszeri tünetek (hányás, hasmenés). A korábbi oltások a súlyos megbetegedés ellen továbbra is védelmet nyújtanak - hangsúlyozza az NNGYK.

Cover image (for illustration purposes only): Getty Images