China CDC Reveals Dominant COVID-19 Variant

NB.1.8.1’s dominance is particularly pronounced in Asia—China’s immediate neighbors.

People wearing masks wait at an outpatient area of the respiratory department of a hospital in Beijing on Jan. 8, 2025. Jade Gao/AFP via Getty Images

As the international community closely monitors the global spread of Omicron variant NB.1.8.1, China announced on May 23 that it is the primary variant spreading in the country.

On the same day, a World Health Organization advisory group classified NB.1.8.1 as a variant under monitoring, due to its increasing detection in monitoring efforts around the globe.