A sign in front of the UW Medicine Research facilities in South Lake Union on December 10, 2020 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Karen Ducey / Getty Images)
The Washington State Department of Health, along with the Snohomish Health District and the UW Medicine Virology Lab, found the first cases of COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 – first detected in the UK – in state testing.
The UW laboratory has detected two known casess of the variant in copies collected from two residents of Snohomish County. The laboratory examined more than a thousand samples between December 25 and January 20 to detect mutations and confirmed the variant by sequencing the entire viral genome.
“I thought that this variant of concern is here and now we know that it is here. It was a huge team effort by the UW Medical Virology Laboratory and required the development of several new rapid tests to detect and confirm it, ”said Dr. Alex Greninger, assistant professor in the UW Clinical Virology Laboratory.
These are the first B.1.1.7 variants detected in the state, but there are likely to be other cases.
“The Snohomish Health District has already established the standard case investigation, isolation and follow-up of contacts before finding out about these cases,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Snohomish Health District health officer. “Isolation protocols are no different for variants B.1.1.7 than for all other cases of COVID-19. The follow-up investigation is ongoing to find out more about these cases and about the people who gave positive results for this strain.
Variant B.1.1.7 was first detected globally in September 2020. It spreads more easily and faster than other variants.
“While finding B.1.1.7 is worrying, I knew it was only a matter of time before I found evidence of it here in Washington. That being said, the health and safety of all Washingtonians remains our top priority, “said Health Secretary Umair A. Shah. -19 ”.
This is a developing story.