EUGENE, Ore. – The “California” variant of the COVID-19 virus was identified in Lane County, public health announced on Tuesday.
Officials said the presence of the variant was detected in samples submitted to the University of Oregon Genomics and Cell Characterization Core Facility.
This is the first laboratory-confirmed example of a variant of COVID-19 in the county, but the variants have been identified elsewhere in the state.
OU spokesman Kay Jarvis gave his opinion.
“The work being done is part of a natural progression for high-level research institutions, like the University of Oregon,” said Jarvis. “It is also the next phase of what the university is offering to support public health efforts in Lane County and the state of Oregon.”
Lane County’s senior public health officer, Dr. Patrick Luedtke, said that viral variants are common.
“Just think about what we suffer each year from the flu virus,” said Luedtke. “This virus always mutates and always changes. It turns out that much more than the COVID-19 virus, but these changes require us to make a new vaccine practically every year. It is normal for viruses to mutate ”.
Dr. Luedtke said that the variant appears to be grown in the United States and probably in California.
“If you look at the evolution of viruses, we have a way to track them based on other variants seen at the same time,” said Luedtke.
Officials said there was not enough medical record review to draw definitive conclusions.
“It looks like there is a possibility of increased transmission and maybe increased gravity, but we’re just not sure,” said Luedtke. “What we know so far is that our current vaccines will work.”
He said the county is lucky to have the sequencing done locally.
Jarvis said the GC3F team has started investigating how it can contribute to state and national efforts to track these variants.
“After also preparing the materials to carry out the genetic sequencing, the GC3F collected unidentified positive coronavirus samples, collected through the university’s response efforts to conduct a pilot study,” said Jarvis. “It is through this pilot that positive samples with the California B.1.429 variant were identified. The G3CF lab has now proven its ability to sequence genes and is ready to provide these services to support public health initiatives as resources become available. For OU, variant detection does not change proactive testing and tracking strategies. “
Today, health officials have reported 23 new cases, for a total of 10,320 confirmed and presumed cases. Almost 6% of county residents have been fully vaccinated.
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