First Case of Highly Infectious Deltacoronavirus Mutant Reported in Northeastern Tennessee | Health Care

A highly contagious deltacoronavirus variant has been reported in northeastern Tennessee, confirmed Thursday by both Northeastern Community Health and Sullivan County Community Health officials.

“Yes, delta mutants have been found throughout the state,” said Dr. Stephen May, medical director of the Sullivan County Community Health Department, when asked if he had found the mutant in Sullivan County. “We have confirmed that the lab results are good in Sullivan County.”

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that delta variants are currently the predominant strain in the United States, accounting for 51.7% of new infections (compared to 10.1% four weeks ago) — nationally earlier this year. Overtaking the alpha variant that has spread to. The first alpha mutant identified in the UK currently accounts for only 28.7% of new infections.

At least 27 cases of delta mutations have been reported across the state, but may be underestimated due to the lack of widespread genetic testing of viral samples. The Northeastern Community Health Department, which oversees seven of the eight counties in the region, has identified at least one case, but May has not stated how many Sullivan counties have seen so far.

The first delta variant identified in India was estimated to be 50% more contagious than alpha, which was already 50% more contagious than the original strain of COVID-19.

It is not clear whether delta mutants cause more serious illness, but early studies suggest that it can occur, especially in people who are not completely vaccinated. For fully vaccinated people, vaccines are effective in preventing serious illness and death, but they can reduce protection against mild illness.

Jamie Swift, Chief Infection Prevention Officer at Ballad Health, said: “So far, some people may have the false sense of security that they have succeeded without getting infected, but they are trying to send a message anyway. If they have not been vaccinated, they are more than ever. Is at risk. “

Tennessee is fully vaccinated in only 37.7% of the population, and about 42.2% are at least partially vaccinated. Northeastern Tennessee has fully vaccinated 37.4% of its population, but demand continues to decline, with 34.8% fewer people receiving injections in the last two weeks than in the previous two weeks.

Infectious diseases, hospitalizations and deaths seen in winter are unlikely to surge in the region, but will increase in the coming weeks and months, especially as students return to classrooms and large schools. There is likely to be. The event continues. When the virus gains a foothold in the area, it becomes the dominant strain, May said.

“Because our vaccination coverage is low, it could certainly be set up for clusters or outbreaks in our area,” May said. “I don’t think you’ll see anything like what you saw in December, but it’s true that there are still many sensitive people who haven’t been vaccinated, and that’s an increased risk.”

He went on to say that it was time to look for a vaccine and it might be too late if the mutants began to be widely distributed in the region.

“If the delta mutant is widely distributed, it will be almost a little late. If you vaccinate in the middle, you may not have enough immunity to protect you,” May said. Continue to follow at least public health guidance for those who do not.

Swift said concerns about the region were “quite high” when variants arrived during a major event. The same is true when held outdoors, as delta variants are more likely to spread outdoors than other strains.

“I think people really need to understand that it’s a race between Delta and vaccines at this point,” Swift said. “I don’t think we’ll reach the numbers we reached in December and January in this area. I don’t think we’ll have 400 patients hospitalized next month or so. We’re hoping for more numbers. That is, not just the numbers, but the lives of the people in this area.

“There are deaths, and those deaths are preventable.”