Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First US Case Confirmed Of Virus Variant Discovered In Brazil
AP: Minnesota Case Marks 1st Detection Of Brazil Variant In US
A new Brazilian variant of the coronavirus has made its first known appearance in the United States in a person who recently returned to Minnesota after traveling to Brazil, state health officials announced Monday. The Brazil P.1 variant was found in a specimen from a patient who lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area who became ill in the first week of January, the Minnesota Department of Health said in a statement. Epidemiologists are interviewing the person to obtain more details about their illness, travel and contacts. There was no immediate indication that the variant was spreading in Minnesota. (Karnowski and Stobbe, 1/26)
The Washington Post: First U.S. Case Of Highly Transmissible Brazil Coronavirus Variant Identified In Minnesota
Minnesota officials announced Monday they have identified a person infected with a highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus that has been spreading at alarming rates in recent weeks in Brazil. This is the first report in the United States of the P.1 variant, which has been of particular concern to scientists as they have observed the disastrous surge in infections in the Brazilian city of Manaus. (Achenbach, 1/25)
CNBC: Minnesota Confirms First Known U.S. Case Of More Contagious Covid Variant Originally Found In Brazil
The patient with the Brazil variant is a resident of the Twin Cities metro area who recently traveled to Brazil, according to state health officials. The person became ill during the first week of January and the specimen was collected Jan. 9, the state said. “We’re thankful that our testing program helped us find this case, and we thank all Minnesotans who seek out testing when they feel sick or otherwise have reason to get a test,” Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm said in a statement. “We know that even as we work hard to defeat COVID-19, the virus continues to evolve as all viruses do.” (Lovelace Jr., 1/25)
The New York Times: First Case Of Brazil-Based Virus Variant Found In U.S.
The variant identified in Britain is more transmissible, but just as susceptible to vaccines as the original form of the virus. But the variants in Brazil and South Africa have additional mutations that may help elude the vaccines. “The amount of concern that I have between the U.K. variant, and the South African/Brazilian is much, much different,” Dr. Fauci said. (1/26)
In related news —
Detroit Free Press: COVID-19 Variant Case Count Swells To 17 In Michigan
At least three mutated coronavirus strains that originated in Brazil, South Africa and the United Kingdom are spreading rapidly around the world, triggering new U.S. travel restrictions and setting state and local health officials on edge. One of those variant forms of coronavirus, B.1.1.7, which originated in the U.K. in September, has caught hold in Michigan and infected at least 17 people as of Monday, said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state's chief medical executive. Of the outbreaks known to have emerged in the state, one is tied to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where the U.K. variant has been confirmed among at least 13 student athletes and shut down campus sports for two weeks. In addition, at least four people in Wayne County are confirmed to have the U.K. variant. (Jordan Shamus, 1/25)
