Michigan confirms South Africa’s first COVID variant case in Jackson County

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced that the first case of variant B.1.351 of COVID-19 was identified in a child in Jackson County.

The health department did not say how the boy was infected, but a case investigation is underway to determine nearby contacts and whether there are additional cases associated.

This new variant was originally detected in South Africa in October 2020 and shares some mutations with the B117 variant. The first case of variant B117 – originally detected in the United Kingdom – was identified in County Washtenaw.

READING: Everything we know about virus variants in Michigan, USA

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The authorities said that B.1.351 is considered more contagious, but there is no indication that it “affects the clinical results or the severity of the disease compared to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that has been circulating in the United States for months”.

However, a higher transmission rate may increase the number of people who need to be hospitalized or lose their lives to COVID-19 if the new variant starts to circulate widely in Michigan. Officials said on Monday that the variant had been identified in 20 other states and jurisdictions.

This case in Michigan is the only one identified at this time. It was first reported in the United States on January 28, when it was identified in two people in South Carolina.

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“We are concerned about the discovery of another variant in Michigan, although it was not unexpected,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical officer and deputy head of health. “We continue to urge Michiganders to follow a research-based approach, using their masks appropriately, distancing themselves socially, avoiding crowds, washing their hands frequently and making a plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine safe and effective when it is your turn. We all have a personal responsibility to slow the spread of COVID-19 and end this pandemic as soon as possible. “

Based on the available evidence, current tests can identify COVID-19 in these cases. The available COVID-19 vaccines also work against this new variant.