Nurses speak in front of Hospital 28 de Agosto in Manaus, Amazonas State, Brazil, on January 14, 2021, in the midst of the new coronavirus pandemic COVID-19.
MICHAEL DANTAS | AFP | Getty Images
Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday that a more contagious variant of Covid-19, originally identified in Brazilian travelers, has now arrived in New York.
The strain was detected by scientists at Mount Sinai hospital in New York City and verified by the Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center Laboratories. The center collects about 90 random samples per day for genomic sequencing and sequenced more than 8,200 samples across the world. state.
The patient with the Brazil variant is a Brooklyn resident in his 90s with no travel history, according to a press release.
“The detection of the Brazilian variant here in New York further underscores the importance of taking all appropriate measures to continue to protect your health,” said Cuomo. The governor asked New Yorkers to continue wearing masks, avoid crowds and get the vaccine when possible.
The strain of Brazil, called P.1, was first identified in four travelers from Brazil who were tested during a screening in Tokyo, Japan, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Variant P.1 was discovered in the United States in late January. Since then, the CDC has reported 48 cases across the country. The strain has a set of additional mutations that can affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies.
There is evidence that the variant is more contagious and has the potential to reduce the vaccine’s effectiveness. Researchers at the University of Oxford recently released unrevised peer data, suggesting that it could be less resistant to vaccines. However, additional research is needed.
Cuomo’s announcement comes as cases rise daily in New York and 20 other states. Mortality and hospitalization rates are decreasing in New York, as vaccine distribution accelerates.