Pennsylvania confirmed its first case of the UK coronavirus variant in a resident of Dauphin County who had known international exposure. The patient, who was not identified by name, age or sex, had mild symptoms that disappeared during isolation at home.
The contract was tracked and an investigation of the case was conducted, said a statement published on Thursday.
“Pennsylvania is preparing for this variant by working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has been sending 10-35 random samples every fortnight to the CDC since November to study sequencing and detect any potential cases for this new one. COVID-19, “said Dr. Rachel Levine, state health secretary, in the press release.
The CDC reports at least 50 cases of UK CORONAVIRUS strain in the USA
“Public health experts are in the early stages of work to better understand this new variant, how it spreads and how it affects people infected with it,” continued Levine.
There have been more than 50 cases of the strain detected in the USA
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Levine urged residents to “remain vigilant” and continue to practice public health measures, as “there is still a lot to learn about this new variant”.
The news comes a day after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a map reflecting where the UK strain was detected in the United States. At the time, the agency had confirmed 52 cases of the mutation spread across California, Florida. York, Colorado and Georgia.
WILL THE COVID-19 VACCINES WORK IN A NEW VARIANT?
Health officials and experts have warned that the strain appears to be highly transmissible – more than the first coronavirus strain detected in the early days of the pandemic – and may even overtake the original strain in a matter of weeks.
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So far, Pfizer and BioNTech have expressed confidence in the ability of their COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the strain, while touting the technology’s flexibility should an adjustment be necessary.