MDH test confirms first known case of Brazilian P.1 mutant of COVID-19 in the United States | Home Focus

Twin Cities — January 25, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced that the Public Health Institute has SARS-CoV-2 known as the Brazilian P.1 variant from specimens of Minnesota residents who have recently traveled. Announced that it has discovered a variant of the virus. To Brazil. This mutant is thought to be more infectious than the early strains of the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, but it is not yet known if the mutant will cause more serious disease.

This case shows an instance of the first documented Brazilian P.1 variant in the United States. Subspecies were discovered through the MDH variant monitoring program. The program collects 50 random samples from the University of Minnesota Clinical Laboratory, the Infinity Biologix Laboratory in Oakdale, and other test partners each week and conducts special tests using a process called whole-genome sequencing. I will. Through this program, the state produces more accurate images of certain forms of COVID-19 circulating in Minnesota.

According to Minnesota Health Director Jan Malcolm, this new finding underscores the importance of the COVID-19 test and its ongoing efforts to limit the spread of the disease by all in Minnesota.

“We are grateful that our testing program helped us find this case. We thank all Minnesota people for testing when they feel sick or have a reason to be tested,” Malcolm said. Told. “We know that despite our hard work to defeat COVID-19, the virus continues to evolve like all viruses. This is the infection with COVID-19. Another reason for wanting to limit is. The fewer people who get COVID-19, the less chance the virus will evolve. Fortunately, wear a mask, keep social distance, and get sick. The epidemic of this and all COVID-19 variants can be delayed by using a proven and true preventative method of sometimes staying at home and being tested at the right time. “

Patients with the Brazilian P.1 variant are residents of the Twin Cities metro area. The person became ill in the first week of January and specimens were collected on January 9. After the initial test returned positive for COVID-19, the patient spoke with an MDH case investigator and reported that he had traveled to Brazil before becoming ill. During the interview, the person was advised to isolate him from others and have his home contacts observe the quarantine according to standard protocols. With new lab information showing that the case is a Brazilian P.1 variant, MDH epidemiologists are re-interviewing the person to obtain more information about their illness, travel, and contact information.

“One of the reasons Minnesota can detect these variants of concern so quickly is that it has one of the best public health research institute surveillance systems in the United States,” said Malcolm.

The MDH Institute for Public Health also discovered two cases of the B.1.1.7 variant (commonly known as the UK variant) through last week’s COVID-19 variant surveillance test. Of the two new cases of British variants detected by MDH, both are residents of the Twin Cities metro area and both recently reported a trip to California. As recommended by the MDH and CDC guidelines, I had no symptoms but asked for a test after the trip. One had a symptom onset date of January 3, 2021.

The MDH also reported that the CDC has identified one additional patient with a variant, also a resident of a metropolitan area, who has a recent travel history to the Dominican Republic. The onset date of symptoms in this case was January 10, 2021.

These latest cases have identified a total of eight UK variants in Minnesota, but there are likely to be more.

“These cases show why it is so important to limit travel during a pandemic as much as possible,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Ruth Linfield. “If travel is required, it is important to monitor COVID-19 symptoms, follow public health guidance for pre-travel inspection, take careful protective measures during travel, and quarantine and inspect after travel. is.”

Passengers traveling from abroad to the United States will need a negative test or pre-infection certificate within 3 days of travel to board from January 26th. Travelers are advised to inspect and quarantine COVID-19 3-5 days after arrival for at least 7 days. We recommend that you consider taking a test 1-3 days before your domestic trip, limit your activities for at least 7 days after returning to Japan, and have your COVID-19 tested 3-5 days after your arrival.

“The wide spread test is the best tool for tracking what COVID-19 is doing in Minnesota,” said MDH Assistant Commissioner Dann Huff. “Extensive testing is also the best way to find asymptomatic cases, but we know that the virus can still spread to others. Tests mitigate the effects of this pandemic. An important tool in the toolbox for: testing, quarantine, quarantine, social distance exercises, wearing masks, avoiding out-of-home gatherings wherever possible, staying home in case of illness. “

For more information on SARS CoV2 virus mutants, please visit: www.health.state.mn.us (Coronavirus information> About COVID-19> COVID-19 variant).

Travel-related notes and test information can be found at: www.cdc.org (Homepage> Travel & COVID-19).