India, July 26 -- 26 states in the US, including Virginia, North Carolina, and Texas, are witnessing a spike in the new variant of COVID, signalling a summer, as per CDC wastewater and surveillance data, according to a CBS news report.

COVID spikes used to mostly hit in winter, however now the virus is showing up twice a year. The CDC says immunity is wearing off, and a new variant is spreading: NB.1.8.1 also called the Nimbus strain.

This strain was first spotted in March 2025. It spreads fast and often causes sore throats that feel sharp or painful, this condition is also know as "razor blade throat." It's now dominant in most states. So far, it doesn't appear to cause more serious illness.

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