COLUMBIA, SC – A new variant of coronavirus appeared in the United States on Thursday, posing another public health challenge in a country that is already losing more than 3,000 people to COVID-19 every day.
The mutated version of the virus, first identified in South Africa, was found in two cases in South Carolina. Public health officials said it was almost certain there were several infections that had not yet been identified. They are also concerned that this version is spreading more easily and that vaccines may be less effective against it.
The two cases were found in adults in different parts of the state and do not appear to be related. None of the infected people traveled recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said Thursday.
“This is frightening, because it means there could be more undetected cases in the state,” said Dr. Krutika Kuppalli, an infectious disease physician at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. “It’s probably more widespread.”
The arrival of the variant shows that “the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, South Carolina’s interim director of public health, said in a statement. We are still limited. Each of us must resume our struggle by acknowledging that we are all on the front line now. We are all together. “
Viruses are constantly moving, and coronavirus variants are circulating around the globe, but scientists are primarily concerned with the emergence of three that researchers believe can spread more easily. Other variants first reported in the United Kingdom and Brazil have been previously confirmed in the United States
As the options bring potential for higher risks of infection in the US, pandemic-tired lawmakers in several states are pushing back against masked mandates, business closures and other protection restrictions ordered by governors.
States, including Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Maryland, Kentucky and Indiana, are considering proposals to limit their governors’ ability to impose emergency restrictions. The Wisconsin-controlled Republican assembly was expected to vote to repeal Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ masked mandate, but lawmakers abruptly canceled the vote Thursday in the face of widespread criticism and, out of concern, would endanger more than 49 million dollars in federal aid. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a constitutional amendment to remove the governor from many of his emergency powers.
Governors say they need authority to act quickly in a crisis, and limitations could slow critical emergency responses.
Meanwhile, Nebraska health officials said the state could be a few days away from lifting restrictions on indoor meetings, citing a low percentage of COVID-19 hospitalizations. Other states facing declining infections are also weakening the limits on restaurants and other companies, although experts have warned the public to remain vigilant about masks and social distancing or risk further increases.
In South Carolina, the state health agency said the variant was found in one person in the coastal region of the state and another in its northeast corner. The state provided little other information, citing privacy concerns, although Traxler said none of them are contagious.
“Both were tested very early in the month and I understand they are both doing well,” Traxler said.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, eased most of the state’s remaining pandemic restrictions in the fall. Spokesman Brian Symmes said McMaster does not intend to order new restrictions based on the discovery of the variant.
“This is important information for South Carolinaers,” McMaster said in a tweet, “but it’s not a cause for panic.”
Scientists reported preliminary signs last week that some of the recent mutations could modestly reduce the effectiveness of two vaccines, although they pointed out that the shots still protect against the disease. There are also signs that some of the new mutations may undermine virus testing and reduce the effectiveness of certain treatments.
Coronavirus has already infected millions and killed about 430,000 people in the United States.
While the launch of the vaccines has been slow, President Joe Biden has pledged to make 100 million injections in the first 100 days of his term – and has suggested that the US may reach 1.5 million photos a day.
While some European countries are conducting extensive genetic testing to detect these variants, the US has done little of this detective work. But scientists quickly tried to do more, which revealed more contagious variants.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported at least 315 cases of the variant discovered in the United Kingdom in the United States. These reports come from at least 28 states, and health officials believe they could become the dominant strain in the United States by March. This variant has been reported in at least 70 countries.
The first case in the US of the variant found in Brazil was announced earlier this week by health officials in Minnesota. He was a person who recently traveled to that South American nation. This version of the virus has appeared in more than half a dozen countries.
The variant first found in South Africa was detected in October. Since then, it has been found in at least 30 other countries.
Some tests suggest that South African and Brazilian variants may be less sensitive to antibody drugs or antibody-rich blood from COVID-19 survivors, both of which help people fight the virus.
Health officials are also worried that if the virus changes enough, people could receive COVID-19 a second time.
Biden reinstated COVID-19 travel restrictions on Monday for most non-US travelers in Brazil, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that Americans avoid travel.
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Stobbe reported from New York.
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