A new COVID strain has become increasingly more common in the U.S. in recent weeks and can cause a painful symptom that some are calling "razor blade throat." COVID variant, NB.1.8.1, nicknamed Nimbus,

Painful sore throats have been a common symptom of previous COVID strains, but Nimbus is gaining attention for what some describe as excruciating pain. Patients have likened the sensation to swallowing razor blades or shards of glass. Other symptoms include fatigue, cough, fever, muscle aches and congestion.

That's because the variant — NB.1.8.1. or “Nimbus” — may cause painful sore throats. The symptom has been identified by doctors in the United Kingdom, India and elsewhere, according to media outlets in those countries. Other COVID-19 symptoms of any variant include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or loss of taste or smell.