'Razor blade throat', a stabbing pain, might hint at infection from new Covid strain

A scary new Covid symptom is being reported in countries where the new variants have been spreading. Doctors are warning that a sharp sensation in the throat, called the "razor blade throat", might be a sign that the person is infected by the Nimbus, or NB.1.8.1, strain of Omicron.

Dr Naveed Asif, a GP at The London General Practice, told Mail Online that it is characterised by a sharp pain, usually while swallowing, and often occurs at the back of the throat. Some patients might also get "redness in the back of the mouth and swollen neck glands."

It has been responsible for a surge in cases in China, Hong Kong and Singapore, after which it was also found in India in April this year. The strain reached the United States between late March and early April. The United Kingdom is also now reporting the Nimbus strain, with at least 13 cases being found so far.

Other symptoms are similar to those experienced over the years - high fever, muscle aches, continuous cough, congestion, loss of sense of smell or taste and shortness of breath.

Also Read: New Covid variant spreads in India as active cases rise to 6,491: What is the XFG variant?

Super painful throat in Covid

Some people infected by the new variant in China started reporting the "razor blade throat". It was described as a super-painful sore throat. The symptom has triggered panic, with Google trends data showing that people throughout the US have been searching for queries “new covid variant painful symptom” and “covid razor throat.”

However, some medical practitioners don't think it is a new symptom. Dr. William Schaffner told Huff Post that every time a new strain emerges, there is a tendency to look for distinctive symptoms. But that doesn't always turn out to be true.

"In the past, as new variants have come on the scene, there almost invariably have been questions about distinctive symptoms, and after a while, when you gather a lot of data, turns out not to be the case — all of these symptoms have occurred before,” Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine in the department of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, said.

"Razor blade throat" alone does not mean one has Covid

He added that a very sore throat is a common symptom of Covid, but it doesn't mean that everyone is going to get it. Further, having a sharp pain in the throat also does not mean that the person definitely has Covid.

Even though the Nimbus variant is highly contagious and is spreading faster than other variants, it does not appear to be causing more severe illness. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also not classified it as a variant of concern.

Experts advise people to take the regular precautions to protect themselves from COVID-19 - regular hand washing, avoiding crowded places, getting vaccinated and wearing a mask.