US Navy / Jonathan Berlier via Flickr
The first American case of the SARS-CoV-2 variant that appeared in Brazil happened in Minnesota, and the CDC published a report that reveals how it came here and how it was investigated.
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed the first case of P.1 on Jan. 25, weeks after it was first confirmed on a trip to Brazil during a routine inspection at a Tokyo airport.
The variant, which can be up to 2.2 times more transmissible than the original COVID strain and has mutations in protein receptor binding that have raised concerns that it may evade the vaccine and natural immunity, has emerged amid a continuing disaster in Brazil, President Jair Bolsanaro has been criticized for failing to implement measures to contain COVID and launch vaccinations and ridiculed COVID as “little flu”, despite causing more than 250,000 lives in his country.
The first case in the US was reported in Minnesota after a person became symptomatic in early January and was hospitalized for 9 days.
During the case investigation, it turned out that they traveled to southeastern Brazil 14 days before the onset of symptoms, and their travel partner – who lives in the same household – also gave positive results after returning.
The Minnesota Department of Health has been testing 100 copies of COVID per week since December for possible variants, and genome sequencing of the two samples confirmed variant P.1 in both.
So far, the two cases remain the only confirmed P.1 variants in Minnesota, according to CDC figures, while the more widespread B.1.1.7 variant in the UK has recorded 78 cases. Given the limitations of MDH genome sequencing, however, there may be more than have been discovered.
The CDC says the inpatient interacted with four health care facilities while having the virus, with tests provided for 111 health care workers who came in contact with them but were not exposed to high risks.
Subsequently, 22 workers took the COVID tests and none were positive.
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MSP Airport was also informed that the pair had traveled internationally and arrived with an internal flight in MSP, but because “19 days have passed since the flights, the CDC has not initiated a full contact investigation with the aircraft. ”.
However, he obtained information from potentially exposed passengers and notified the health departments where they lived. Another 42 people who may have had close contact with the Minnesota couple also received tests. Twenty of them took tests, all of which were negative.
The CDC says the discovery of P.1 “emphasizes the importance of community-based prevention strategies to slow the transmission of SARS-CoV-2”, including the use of “appropriate masks”, social distancing, hand washing, regular testing and quarantine and isolation for anyone who tests positive. or who has symptoms.