The highly transmissible Covid-19 variant initially found in South Africa was first detected in the United States, infecting two people from South Carolina with no recent travel history.
There is no known connection between the two cases in South Carolina, the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) said in a press release on Thursday, suggesting that the new variant was already circulating in communities.
“We are in a race against variants now,” said Dr. Vivek Murthy, nominated by President Joe Biden as a US general surgeon. The Washington Post.
“The faster we can reduce overall infection rates by taking public health measures, such as masking, detachment, the faster we can vaccinate people, the sooner we will be able to reverse this pandemic,” he added.
One adult is from Lowcountry in South Carolina and the other from the Pee Dee region, the state said, while retaining other information about the cases to protect residents’ privacy.
“The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is an important reminder to all South Carolinaians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, Acting Director of Public Health at DHEC. “Although more Covid-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still limited. Each of us must commit to the fight again, recognizing that we are all on the front lines now. We are all in this together. “
The variant, known as B.1.351, was first detected in South Africa in December and has since spread to at least 30 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
As of Thursday, the United States had no known cases of the variant.
Scientists have yet to determine whether the South African variant was more deadly than other variants circulating around the world, but preliminary data suggests it was more transmissible – which, if true, could lead to an increase in cases, hospitalizations and deaths .
This caused several countries, including the United States, to ban travel against South Africa in an effort to prevent the spread of the new variant to other parts of the world.
The variant is one of three that are currently circulating and are causing concern among health experts. A variant first detected in Brazil and another in the United Kingdom, both recently found in the United States, were also being closely monitored.
A major concern among scientists would be the impact of these new variants on coronavirus vaccines.
Initial research indicated that the vaccine may be slightly less effective against the South African variant, which encouraged Moderna to work on developing a booster for its own Covid-19 jab.
If the virus changes enough, experts warn, people can contract the new virus a second time.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, expressed concern about the new South African variant on Thursday, before the news that it was detected in South Carolina.
“South Africa, George, bothers me,” said Dr. Fauci to George Stephanopoulos of ABC. “This is something that is now really dominating the South African scene, when you look at the vaccines that we have available now, the neutralizing antibodies that they induce, so we’re talking about things just in a test tube, when you measure it compared to the South African isolate, it is diminished multiple times in its ability to cover it. ”
“It is still within the range of what you anticipate would be protective. But it doesn’t comfort me much with that “, he added.
Scientists were not surprised by the virus’s mutation. But the new variants prove how necessary it is for Covid-19’s health guidelines, such as wearing a mask and practicing social detachment, to remain in effect as countries work to vaccinate their residents.