More Contagious Virus Variant Spreads To 10 States; Japan IDs New Mutation
Indiana and Minnesota join the list of states where health officials have confirmed cases of the B.1.1.7 strain, first identified in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, Japan says that is has detected another coronavirus mutation in travelers arriving from Brazil.
Los Angeles Times:
At Least 9 U.S. States Have New Coronavirus Strain From U.K.
The coronavirus variant from the United Kingdom is now in at least nine U.S. states, and scientists expect that number to rise in short order. A total of 63 infections with the strain known as B.1.1.7 were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Friday, the most recent data available. Given the limited amount of genetic analysis conducted on coronavirus samples collected here, health officials say the true number of cases is surely higher. California currently has more confirmed cases than any other state, with 32, according to the CDC. Florida is next, with 22. (Kaplan and Healy, 1/11)
AP:
Officials: More Contagious Virus Variant Found In Indiana
A more contagious variant of the coronavirus that was first identified in the United Kingdom late last year has been found in Indiana, state health officials announced Monday. The Indiana State Department of Health said the variant was identified in the state through testing by the state agency’s laboratory and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but Monday’s announcement included no additional information on its discovery in Indiana. (1/12)
AP:
Minnesota Businesses Reopen As Cases Of Virus Variant Appear
Some Minnesota bars and restaurants began reopening at half capacity on Monday, eager to get back in business under loosening restrictions even as a new coronavirus variant moves into the state. The arrival of the variant, first identified in the United Kingdom in September and announced in Minnesota on Saturday, didn’t surprise officials. But they said it underscores the importance of slowing spread of the virus by wearing masks, maintaining social distance and quarantining if exposed. (Ibrahim, 1/11)
The Washington Post:
CDC: No Sign Of Homegrown U.S. Coronavirus Variant, But Scientists Need To Look Harder
Infectious-disease experts say there is no evidence the massive winter surge that is killing thousands of people a day in the United States is linked to the U.K. variant or to a homegrown strain. But they acknowledge their battlefield awareness is limited. Some states have minimal capacity to conduct genomic sequencing that allows scientists to trace the random mutations that could give a virus variant some advantage over other strains. Like any virus, this one mutates randomly, and countless variants are in circulation. (Achenbach, Bellware and Shaban, 1/11)
Japan reports yet another variant —
The Hill:
WHO: Japan Identifies Another New Coronavirus Variant
The World Health Organization (WHO) said Monday that Japan has notified it of a new variant of coronavirus, amid concern over more infectious strains discovered in the United Kingdom and South Africa. "Over the weekend, WHO was notified by Japan about a new variant of the virus," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, at a news conference. (Sullivan, 1/11)
CNBC:
Covid Strains: All The Major Virus Mutations We Know About
Viruses constantly mutate, so it’s not surprising that the coronavirus that emerged in China in late 2019 has gone through multiple minor variations. But it has also undergone several major mutations, and it’s likely that more, significant variations will emerge. (Ellyatt, 1/12)
In related news about how contagious covid really is —
USA Today:
Record Low Flu Cases Show How COVID-19 Is More Contagious And 'Less Forgiving,' Experts Say
As COVID-19 raged last year, the seasonal flu all but vanished, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During the 2019 flu season from Sept. 29 to Dec. 28, the CDC reported more than 65,000 cases of influenza nationwide. During the same period this flu season, the agency reported 1,016 cases. Health experts said that high vaccination rates against the flu – combined with social distancing, mask-wearing and hand-washing employed to stop the spread of the coronavirus – played a huge role in preventing influenzatransmission. The drop occurred despite a sixfold increase in testing at public health labs, most of which checked for influenza A and B along with the coronavirus. (Rodriguez, 1/11)
