Florida continues to overtake other countries with new mutant COVID-19 cases

Orlando, Florida – According to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Florida continues to lead the nation with approximately 380 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in the number of documented COVID-19 variants related to the United Kingdom. I will.

According to the CDC database, there are currently 379 documented cases, and Sunshine has twice as many UK atypical cases as California. California has 189 cases as of Sunday night. There are 49 cases in Texas, 23 cases each in Illinois and North Carolina, and 22 cases in Maryland.

The number of mutant cases is expected to increase as more laboratories track virus sample sequences and variants.

Florida has tripled the number of UK variants in less than a month. 3 weeks ago Florida reported 125 UK atypical cases.

Mutant cases are increasing in Sunshine, while Florida Overall COVID-19 cases decreasing trend, Virus-related hospitalizations and deaths, according to the latest Ministry of Health data.

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Alvina Chu, an epidemiologist in Orange County, Florida, said there were 12 recorded cases of British variants during a county briefing on Monday. Random sampling found two new cases.

“We are looking for mutations that can change the infectivity and pathogenicity and severity of the disease that can be caused by these mutations, so people are vaccinated during this period. We will continue to implement pandemic prevention measures such as wearing masks, monitoring distances, and washing hands, to boost immunity, “says Chu.

The CDC updates its variant database three days a week at 7:00 pm, but the agency states that it may not contain all the data.

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“The cases identified above are based on sampling of SARS-CoV-2 positive specimens and may be prevalent in the United States in the B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 strains. It does not represent the total number of states. It may not match the number reported by the state, territory, tribe, or municipality. ” Read the disclaimer below the map.

The first virus variants detected in Brazil’s P.1 and South Africa’s B.1.351 have also been reported in the United States, but in far fewer numbers. Only 16 Brazilian variants have been documented, and so far only 3 South African variants have been reported in the United States.

The British variant is highly contagious and is considered more deadly than the original variant, but in South Africa the vaccine may be slightly less effective. The ultimate fear is that mutants that are resistant to existing vaccines and therapies may eventually emerge.

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In addition to the three that have received the most attention from the CDC, Chu says there are many other variations.

“Some of these mutations make no sense at all, and some of these mutations can give the virus the benefit of spreading faster or easier or causing more serious illness.” Chu said. Due to its high immunity, pandemic precautions should be taken. This is because the virus mutates with each new infection, and this opportunity provides some benefit. “

However, due to the relatively low level of sequencing, the true side of the problem in the United States is not clear.

Mutant cases have been here all the time and may be proliferating, but the CDC began identifying and tracking mutants late last year. The CDC has been competing to catch up with the detection of variants after lagging behind.

The virus is constantly mutating. To stay ahead of the threat, scientists analyze the sample and carefully monitor for mutations that can make the coronavirus more infectious or deadly.

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Less than 1% of positive samples in the United States are sequenced to determine if there are mutations of interest. Other countries are doing better — the UK sequence is about 10% — which means you can see the threat imminent sooner. This gives you more opportunities to delay or stop problems, such as more targeted contact tracing, possible vaccine adjustments, and public warnings.

After the slow start, public health laboratories in at least 33 states are currently conducting genetic analysis to identify new coronavirus variants. Other states have partnerships with universities and private laboratories to do their jobs. North Dakota, which began the sequence in early February, was the latest to begin its work, according to the Association of Public Health Institutes.

The CDC believes that at least 5,000 to 10,000 samples need to be analyzed each week in the United States to properly monitor mutants, said Gregory Armstrong, who oversees the agency’s advanced molecular detection work. I will. And he admitted that the country has only reached that level now.

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President Joe Biden, who inherited the setting from the Trump administration, has proposed a $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that demands more federal spending on virus sequencing, but the amount is detailed. Not yet, other details not yet considered out.

“We are the 43rd in the world in genomic sequencing, said Jeff Seienz, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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