The earliest detection of the new variant was on April 7 and the most recent case was from May 20.
SEATTLE — The Washington Department of Health (DOH) said Monday it has detected a new COVID-19 variant in the state.
According to the DOH, health officials found 14 sequenced detections of NB.1.8.1 in Washington state. The earliest detection of the new variant was found April 7 and the most recent case is from May 20. Thirteen of the detections were found from the CDC Traveler Genomics Program, which tests samples from the SEA Airport. The other instance was submitted by the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.
While the detections were confirmed in Washington state, health officials said in a Monday release they could not determine if the people tested are residents of Washington or if they spent time in the state after the sample was collected.
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers NB.1.8.1 a variant because it is rising in frequency in regions where it has been detected. The organization said the public health risk posed by the variant is low.
Data does not indicate that the variant causes more severe disease than its predecessors, according to the WHO. Health officials believe the current vaccine strains are expected to protect against symptomatic and severe disease for NB.1.8.1.
The Washington DOH urged all eligible residents to stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations.
