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2025 COVID-19

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‘Razor Blade Throat’ COVID strain fuels summer surge in California

• COVID levels in Bay Area now exceed this past winter’s peak

• New “Nimbus” subvariant driving 55% spike in statewide wastewater data

• Health officials brace for possible late-summer wave, urge vaccinations

California is facing a sharp summer spike in COVID-19 cases, with viral activity in parts of the state now surpassing last winter’s peak. Health officials say the rise is being driven by a newly identified subvariant, NB.1.8.1—nicknamed “Nimbus” or “razor blade throat” for the severe symptoms it can cause.

Bay Area wastewater monitoring indicates the virus is spreading more widely there than during the state’s previous seasonal high in the colder months. While the increase has been less pronounced in Southern California so far, experts warn it may be just a matter of time.

“We definitely are seeing an uptick in the summer,” said Dr. Erica Pan, state epidemiologist and director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). “But it’s still relatively low compared to, for example, last year around this time.”

Over the past three weeks, coronavirus levels detected in statewide wastewater samples have surged by 55%, according to CDPH data. The dominant strain in California is currently NB.1.8.1, while XFG (dubbed “Stratus”) is gaining ground nationally.

Early signs point to an August peak

Dr. Pan said she expects at least a minor COVID wave in California this summer, likely peaking in late August. That would mirror last year’s trend, when a strong summer wave swept the state driven by FLiRT variants.

Federal data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the West currently leads the nation in COVID activity based on wastewater surveillance. At the state level, California is now seeing “high” levels of viral presence, per the latest CDPH assessments.

“It’s been a longer time since a lot of people got infected,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco. “And just like last year, there are new variants afoot.”

Chin-Hong added that waning immunity may also be fueling the uptick, with many Californians more than a year removed from their last infection or booster.

Though hospitalizations and deaths remain low, the current strains are not mild for everyone. “Just because you had an easy case the last time doesn’t mean that you’ll have an easy case this time,” Chin-Hong warned. “A lot of people I’ve talked to who’ve gotten COVID this year, it was a pretty vicious case that lasted a long time.”

He noted an increase in people reaching out for advice on how to stay safe, as the virus circulates more widely again.

Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional infectious disease chief for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said the surge that began in Northern California is now spreading south.

“I suspect it will be coming to Los Angeles soon,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “We’ll know over the next couple of weeks which direction things are going.”

Vaccination still advised for all Californians

The California Department of Public Health continues to recommend that all residents ages 6 months and older stay up to date on their COVID vaccinations, especially ahead of the anticipated late-summer peak.

Dr. Pan said officials are watching closely to determine whether a winter wave will follow this summer surge or whether the state may experience a single seasonal spike.

“We had a relatively mild winter [of] COVID activity,” she said. “We’re still trying to learn what COVID seasonality is going to look like. It’s just been a little bit different every year.”

Bottom Line: While California’s summer COVID surge remains moderate for now, the growing dominance of new, fast-spreading variants like Nimbus has health officials on alert. With high wastewater activity and signs of rising transmission, residents are being urged to take basic precautions and stay vaccinated as the state navigates another unpredictable COVID season.

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COVID-19 pandemic stress fuels surge in digestive disorders, study finds

  • Digestive issues like IBS and functional dyspepsia rose among U.S. adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Researchers surveyed over 160,000 people from May 2020 to May 2022 using standardized gut–brain disorder criteria.

  • The study found an 11% increase in Rome IV digestive disorders, linked to pandemic-related stress and lifestyle changes.

A team at Cedars‑Sinai set out to investigate whether digestive disorders became more common during COVID-19. 

Despite most attention being on respiratory symptoms, anecdotal reports hinted that stress, quarantine, and illness might also affect gut health. 

With the study, the researchers measured trends over time using clinical definitions and large-scale survey data to confirm if digestive issues truly surged during the pandemic.

“Using data from a national online study, we found that rates of digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome and chronic idiopathic constipation rose significantly,” researcher Christopher V. Almario, M.D., MSHPM, said in a news release. 

“These findings underscore the significant toll the pandemic has taken on digestive health.”

The study

This was a longitudinal, national survey that tracked U.S. adults from May 2020 to May 2022. More than 160,000 participants completed periodic questionnaires based on the Rome IV criteria — a gold standard for diagnosing gut–brain interaction disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia, and others.

The Rome IV tool identifies symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, discomfort, and altered bowel habits.

Participants answered the same questions repeatedly over two years, enabling researchers to measure prevalence trends and correlate changes with stages of the pandemic.

The findings

Overall, the researchers learned that digestive disorders have been on the rise since the pandemic – IBS specifically. 

In May 2020, rates of IBS were at about 6% among U.S. adults. That figure nearly doubled to 11% by May 2022. 

The incidence of chronic idiopathic constipation had a slight increase from 6.0% in 2020 to 6.4% in 2022.

The researchers explained that pandemic-related stress is likely a key driver: isolation, health fears, loss of routine, and shifts in diet/exercise.

It’s important to note that this study didn’t look at infection status, so the rise appears more tied to societal stress than direct effects of COVID infection.

What It Means for You

Based on these findings, if you've been experiencing ongoing gut issues — like bloating, irregular bowels, or discomfort — it's worth talking to your health care provider.

Standard treatments for functional gut disorders (e.g., dietary changes, stress management, medications) are still relevant — and mental health support may play a key role.

“This research calls for a renewed focus on gastrointestinal health in the post-pandemic era,” researcher Brennan Spiegel, M.D., MSHS, said in the news release. 

“Health care providers must be vigilant in recognizing and addressing the long-term effects of the pandemic on digestive health.”