CDC reports new strain from UK is “more transmissible.”
Rochelle Walensky, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the COVID-19 variant from the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as SARS-COV-2, has now spread to 32 American states.
“In the United States, 467 cases of the B.1.1.7 lineage [SARS-CoV-2] originated from the U.K. have been confirmed in 32 states as of yesterday,” she said during a discussion Monday on concerns surrounding COVID-19 variants organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Walensky said that one case of the P. 1. variant, originally detected in Brazil, has been identified in the U.S. in Minnesota and three cases of the variant from South Africa have been confirmed in two separate South Carolina towns as well as one case in Maryland.
The director said that the data that is available on these variants suggests they are more transmissible and may lead to more cases. She expressed concerns over the additional stress this could add to the nation’s healthcare system.
“There are increasing data that suggest that it is somewhere between 50% and 70% more transmissible,” Walensky said. She added that the CDC is stepping up its virus “surveillance” across the U.S. to identify and track new strains of the COVID-19 virus.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the CDC as they evaluate and strategize appropriate responses for the variants of the coronavirus.
- For the Department of Health and Human Services as they coordinate treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.
Sources: JustTheNews, U.S. News & World Report
