The new COVID-19 variant was reported in Nueces County, officials say

CHRISTI CORPUS, Texas – The new variant COVID-19, B.1.1.7, originally from the United Kingdom, has been identified in Nueces County, according to Dr. Srikanth Ramachandruni, a local health official.

According to a report by The Caller-Times, a man from Corpus Christi, aged between 60 and 70, recently visited Great Britain due to a family emergency. Once he returned home, the man was diagnosed with the new COVID-19 variant, Ramachandruni said.

“The man who returned from the trip at the end of December is isolated and will remain in quarantine until he is released by the health authority,” The Caller-Times report said.

“One of his symptoms is a severe headache and he expects to recover,” Ramachandruni added.

Caller-Times said so far that the strain has been found in eight states and 33 countries. The man’s diagnosis marks the second instance of the variant that was detected in Texas.

Just before the New Year, San Antonio Metro Health officials announced that researchers are trying to determine whether the new variant has made its way into the Bexar County area. So far, the strain has not been detected.

The variant may be more transmissible; however, Dr. Ramachandruni said it is not more lethal.

“Currently, there is no evidence that B.1.1.7 causes more severe disease or increases death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” Ramachandruni said.

Officials say they are confident they can contain the spread of the new variant, given that the man has been isolated since he was informed.

Since then, the state has allocated 4,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the Nueces county area, according to officials.

About: Texas sees the first case of a new push-click for more photos