MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – The Brazilian variant of COVID-19 arrived in Wisconsin. Their discovery means that all three known variants of the coronavirus were found in the state of Badger.
The Department of Health Services reports a case of variant P.1, which was originally found on four travelers from Brazil who were tested at a Tokyo airport, was confirmed in Wisconsin.
Health officials believe that this strain spreads more quickly and easily than the original COVID-19 strain, similarly to variants found in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
However, the researchers also say that the P.1 variant has a unique genetic mutation that can affect the body’s ability to recognize and fight the virus. Antibodies normally develop through a COVID-19 infection or vaccination can fight COVID-19, however, mutations in the virus can prevent antibodies from recognizing the virus. This would cause someone’s body to remain exposed to the COVID-19 infection to this strain, variant P.1.
DHS said further studies are needed to determine whether strains P.1 and B.1.351, or the South African variant, cause a more serious disease.
| United Kingdom variant (B.1.1.7) | South Africa variant (B.1.351) | Brazilian variant (P.1) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 3/26 | 78 | two | 1 |
| Thu 3/25 | 69 | 1 | 0 |
| Thu 3/18 | 55 | 1 | 0 |
| Thu 11/03 | 31 | 1 | 0 |
There are 81 variants of COVID-19 in total in Wisconsin today, 78 of the UK variant, two of the South African variant and one of the new Brazilian variant.
DHS last updated its variant numbers on Thursday, having previously reported only 69 cases of the UK variant and only one of the South African variant.
The DSH stated in its COVID-19 panel that the number of variant cases identified probably represents only a fraction of the variants circulating in the state. The director of the Division of Communicable Diseases of Hygiene at the Wisconsin State Laboratory, Dr. Allen Bateman, said the testing capacity for all four laboratories that test variants of COVID-19 is up to 600 samples per week.
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