A new COVID-19 variant called NB.1.8.1 could account for up to one-third of cases, according to health officials.
One hallmark of this latest strain is a symptom some people are calling «razor blade throat.»
The variant — informally referred to as «Nimbus» — made up an estimated 37% of cases in the U.S. during a two-week period ending June 7, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
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Nimbus appears to be more easily transmissible, but not more virulent, meaning it doesn’t generally make people sicker than other variants, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel told Fox News Digital.
«Many of the COVID subvariants have a characteristic feature,» Siegel said, noting that Nimbus has been known to cause a «razor-sharp» sore throat.
Patients have been reporting extremely painful sore throats, with some comparing the sensation to swallowing razor blades or glass.
CAN’T STOP CLEARING YOUR ..

Fitness experts say people should be able to hold a plank for anywhere from 20 seconds up to two minutes, depending on their age.
An 80-year-old Florida man has blown that goal out of the water, recently holding a plank for a whopping 50 minutes — 100 times longer than the average recommendation for his age.
Bob Schwartz held the plank — which is believed to be a record for his age — at the Ocean Reef Fitness Club in Key Largo.
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Luis Bracamonte, director of fitness and wellness at the club, said he witnessed Schwartz’s feat, which earned him the nickname of «The Plankster.»
«To our knowledge, after extensive searching, it is the longest plank ever held by an 80-year-old,» Bracamonte told Fox News Digital. «Mr. Schwartz is an extraordinary individual and a perfect example of a ‘super-ager.’»
A plank is an isometric move where the person holds a push-up position for a set period of time. It is often toute..

Various B12 gummy vitamin products have been recalled due to an undeclared peanut allergen.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an announcement on Friday from Vita Warehouse Corp., the maker of the product that is distributed under the brand names Welby, Berkley Jensen and VitaGlobe.
The New York-based company confirmed to Fox News Digital that it issued a voluntary recall of one lot of Welby-brand Vitamin B12 Energy Support gummy product 1000 mcg 140 gummies, Berkely Jensen Vitamin B12 1000 mcg 250 Gummies, and VitaGlobe Vitamin B12 Extra Strength 60 Gummies due to the «potential presence of undeclared peanuts.»
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«People with an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts run the potential risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products,» Vita Warehouse noted in its announcement.
The products were reportedly distributed at Aldi and BJ’s retail stores across t..

Researchers at Stanford University say they have developed a more effective way to treat strokes.
The new technology, called the milli-spinner thrombectomy, has been shown to have more successful outcomes for patients who have experienced strokes, as well as heart attacks, pulmonary embolisms and other clot-related diseases, according to a press release from the university.
Blood clots are clumped together by thread-like proteins called fibrin. The milli-spinner — which is a long, hollow, rotating tube with a series of «fins and slits» — enters the body through a catheter and applies force and suction to the clot.
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As a result, the blood clot is reduced in size — down to as little as 5% of its original volume — without breaking any of the fibrin threads.
That’s important because breaking up the clot can result in pieces of it escaping and getting stuck in hard-to-reach places, the researche..

New research has found that being overworked can physically alter the brain.
Researchers in South Korea set out to understand how working long hours impact the cognitive and emotional health of employees.
The study, published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, assessed the brain volume of 110 healthcare workers who were classified by the categories of overworked – working greater than or equal to 52 hours per week – and non-overworked.
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The results revealed that overworked individuals exhibited «significant changes» in brain regions that are associated with executive function and emotional regulation.
Study co-author Wanhyung Lee, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at Chung-Ang University College of Medicine in Seoul, told Fox News Digital that this is one of the first studies to examine the relationship between prolonged working hours and structural brain changes.
«We initially had no clear..

A new daily pill could provide an easier, more convenient way to lower cholesterol and reduce heart attack and stroke risk.
The experimental medication, called Obicetrapib, underwent a Phase 3 clinical trial at Monash University in Australia.
The trial included more than 2,500 people averaging 65 years of age. All had either been diagnosed with heart disease or had genetically high cholesterol, according to a university press release.
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All participants were receiving «maximum tolerated doses» of cholesterol-lowering therapy.
One group received Obicetrapib and another group took a placebo, while still maintaining their existing cholesterol drugs.
After 12 weeks, the participants taking the new drug showed a 32.6% reduction in LDL cholesterol and a 33.5% drop in lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], the release stated.
The findings were presented last month at the European Atherosclerosis Society Congress in the U.K…

A popular diet trend may have its origins in the Bible.
Intermittent fasting, a pattern of eating based on time limits, is intended to assist with weight loss and other health benefits, according to Mayo Clinic.
There are several types of intermittent fasting, but they all follow the same concept of alternating between fasting and eating — a practice that is often mentioned in biblical scripture.
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With a time-restricted approach to intermittent fasting, the dieter only eats during a certain window. For example, with the 16/8 method, the person fasts for 16 hours and then can eat within an eight-hour span, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Other versions involve fasting for a full 24 hours once or twice per week — or only consuming limited calories on fasting days.
«The idea is that intermittent fasting causes the body’s cells to change how they work,» states Mayo Clinic's website. «Timed eating may push cells to ..

Bedbug infestations at two locations in Las Vegas have sparked legal action after four travelers reported severe «injuries.»
Three lawsuits were filed in April against two resorts on the Las Vegas strip for incidents that occurred in the summer of 2024.
Treasure Island guest Teresa Bruce noticed bites on her body during her June 21 stay, according to the official complaint. She decided to switch rooms but wound up with more bites.
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The guest was «harmed and offended» by the bites, according to the complaint, and «suffered injuries.»
Bruce alleged that the hotel confirmed both rooms had bedbugs after sending in a risk management team.
At the Luxor Hotel on June 8, Stephen and Courtney Gully noticed bites on their bodies that were «swelling and becoming aggravated, appearing red, swollen and becoming increasingly itchy,» according to their complaint.
Courtney Gully’s reaction was so severe, the complaint indicate..

Side effects from GLP-1s can vary — but one lesser-known reported outcome of the popular weight-loss medications is hair loss or thinning.
Some hairstylists have confirmed an uptick in clients who complain about losing hair while on weight-loss journeys.
This includes Ashley DiMatteo, owner of Ashley Lauren Beauty Lounge in Westchester, New York, and Briana Delvecchio, a color specialist and hairdresser at DiMatteo’s salon. The two spoke with Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview. (See the video at the top of this article).
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«There has definitely been an increase in clients coming in with hair loss,» DiMatteo said, noting that it ranges from gradual to fast, and from thinning out to completely losing hair.
Delvecchio agreed that she’s had «a few» clients come in reporting thinner and drier hair, which she suspects could be due to weight-loss drugs.
The hairstylist, who herself takes a GLP-1 drug, said there m..