Health Minister Issues Caution as New COVID Strain Detected Across Australia

A new branch of the COVID-19 Omicron variant has been detected in several Australian states, driving an increase in diagnoses of the disease.

The discovery has prompted Health Minister Mark Butler to call for Australians to take up the COVID-19 vaccine or boosters, while saying there was no evidence the variant would need to be handled any differently to those before it.

“This is another member of the big sprawling Omicron family, and this is pretty consistent with patterns we’ve seen now for a few years where a new sub-variant of Omicron emerges and starts to spread across the world,” Butler told ABC Radio National.

“I’ve not got any advice that it’s being dealt with any differently to previous sub-variants …”

Symptoms of the new variant, known as NB.1.8.1, include typical flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, lethargy, and fever.

The variant has already been detected across Australia, with wastewater analysis finding cases in Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, and South Australia.

The new variant has recently led to a resurgence of COVID-19 in China, where it later spread through Southeast Asia, the western Pacific and the Mediterranean.

The World Health Organisation has recognised the increase of NB.1.8.1 globally and say it is now the dominant strain of COVID-19 across the world.

Symptoms of the new variant are not described as being any more serious than previous versions, however, statistics published by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention last week indicated one new symptom was a sharp, burning sore throat.

Research Into Long COVID

The latest update on the virus comes as Griffith University announced a potential new treatment for Long COVID sufferers.

Naltrexone is typically used to treat opioid addiction, but researchers have found small doses can help to reverse Long COVID complications.

According to the university, the illness affects around 77 million people globally.

Long COVID symptoms can range from mild to severe and only affect some people who have had the virus.

Symptoms can be varied and may include fatigue, rashes, hair loss, chest pain, heartburn, muscle pain and anxiety.

“Given the debilitating nature of Long COVID, there is an urgent need for effective treatments and low-dose naltrexone is a repurposed and safe drug which is typically used for opioid addiction,” Griffith University Professor and senior researcher Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik.

Studies have shown that those suffering from Long COVID have faulty TRPM3 ion channels, essential for transporting calcium into cells.

Low-dose Naltrexone, according to the university, has proven successful in correcting faulty ion channels, allowing adequate calcium flow into the body’s cells.

“These ion channels play a critical role in cellular signalling, influencing immune response, pain regulation, and neurological function,” Marshall-Gradisnik said.