Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says South Africa is monitoring a new COVID-19 variant, known as Nimbus (NB.1.1.1), but it has not yet resulted in a resurgence of cases in the country.

Parts of Asia are currently experiencing a high number of Nimbus cases.

Speaking at the G20 Health Working Group Meeting yesterday, Motsoaledi stated that South Africa maintains robust surveillance systems in place.

He added that those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 will be less at risk of developing severe disease if they contract the virus, as Nimbus is a descendant of the Omicron lineage.

Nimbus was first detected in January 2025 in Asia and was designated a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 23 May 2025.

So far, it has been detected in 22 countries and has been associated with an increase in infections in parts of Asia.

Preliminary data indicate that this variant may be more transmissible, but it is not associated with severe or different symptoms compared to other circulating lineages. The WHO considers the public health risk of NB.1.8.1 to be low.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases has also confirmed that current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide adequate protection against severe illness due to NB.1.8.1 infections.

Data from the NICD’s surveillance programmes, which operate in selected public and private hospitals and outpatient facilities, show that the number of COVID-19 infections is currently low.

The Institute says an increase in flu cases is of greater concern. They have urged those who are unwell with respiratory symptoms to practice regular hand washing, cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid contact with people who may be at high risk of severe respiratory illness.

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