New COVID-19 variant is driving up infections in Australia

A new COVID-19 variant is driving up infections in Australia, with health experts warning that there's potential for this variant to play a significant role in the winter respiratory season, local broadcaster SBS News reported on Thursday.

The new variant, NB.1.8.1., was designated by the WHO as a "variant under monitoring" last week, due to its growing global spread and some notable characteristics which could set it apart from earlier variants.

As a fewer people are testing, It's more difficult to track the occurrence of the virus nowadays. But available data suggests in late May, case numbers were ticking upwards in Australia.

Genomic sequencing has confirmed NB.1.8.1 it is generally increasing in Australia.

According to the data sequenced up to May 6 across the country, NB.1.8.1 ranged from less than 10% in South Australia to more than 40% in Victoria.

Wastewater surveillance in Western Australia has determined NB.1.8.1 is now the dominant variant in wastewater samples collected in the state capital Perth.

Internationally, NB.1.8.1 is also growing, particularly in Asia, prompting a closer monitoring by international public health agencies.

NB.1.8.1 was the dominant variant in Hong Kong and China at the end of April.

According to the WHO, NB.1.8.1, a sublineage of the Omicron variant, was first detected in samples collected in January 2025.

The WHO, however, has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants.

Common symptoms of the virus include sore throat, fatigue, fever, mild cough, muscle aches and nasal congestion. Gastrointestinal symptoms may also occur in some cases.