Q COSTARICA — The new COVID-19 variant, commonly referred to as “razor blade throat,” a sublineage of the omicron variant, Nimbus (NB.1.8.1), classified as VUM (variant under monitoring) by the World Health Organization (WHO), is circulating in Costa Rica.
Data from the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Higher Education in Nutrition and Health (Inciensa), as of June 17, confirm that of 262 samples this year, it has been detected in one, representing 0.38% of the total.
As the name implies, infection may lead to an incredibly painful sore throat, as if their throat is covered with razor blades, according to experts, who detailed that while not specific to Covid-19, this expression has been used to describe sore throat symptoms
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Other symptoms, though, are more typical of a Covid infection, including fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, and the loss of taste or smell.
Rest, fluids and painkillers are the best remedies for the painful symptom.
The circulation of this and other variants coincides with an increase in confirmed cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Costa Rica.
According to the Ministry of Health, during epidemiological week 24, (from Sunday, June 8 to Saturday, June 14, 2025) it reported: 231 new cases, an increase of 15.5% compared to the previous week and 39 hospitalizations, including two patients in the ICU, representing a weekly increase of 30%.
So far in 2025, there have been 15 deaths from the COVID-19 disease.
Since last month, Costa Rica has had an updated COVID-19 vaccine, formulated to combat recent variants.
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Roberto Arroba of the National Vaccination and Epidemiology Commission stated: “This new vaccine has the ability to protect us against the viruses that are currently circulating.”
The Ministry of Health has purchased more than 700,000 doses, which are available at public health centers.
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