An individual gestures in the direction of an indication with a public well being data message, amid the unfold of the coronavirus illness (COVID-1
An individual gestures in the direction of an indication with a public well being data message, amid the unfold of the coronavirus illness (COVID-19), as new restrictions come into pressure, in London, Britain, December 20, 2020.
Toby Melville | Reuters
The primary case of a brand new and probably extra infectious pressure of Covid-19 has been confirmed in the USA, Colorado well being officers mentioned Tuesday.
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed and notified the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention of the case. The contaminated particular person is a male in his 20s who’s presently in isolation in Elbert County, about an hour and a half south of Denver, and has no journey historical past.
“There’s a lot we do not find out about this new Covid-19 variant, however scientists in the UK are warning the world that it’s considerably extra contagious. The well being and security of Coloradans is our high precedence and we are going to intently monitor this case, in addition to all COVID-19 indicators, very intently,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis mentioned Tuesday.
“We’re working to forestall unfold and comprise the virus in any respect ranges,” Polis mentioned, including that public well being officers have been working to establish different potential instances by way of contact tracing interviews.
Preliminary evaluation of the mutated pressure, first recognized within the U.Ok., suggests it might be the perpetrator behind Britain’s latest spike in instances. The brand new pressure, known as SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 within the science group, could possibly be as a lot as 70% extra transmissible, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson mentioned.
The CDC mentioned in December that the brand new pressure might already be circulating within the U.S. with out discover. The CDC cited ongoing journey between the U.Ok. and the U.S. as a proof for the potential arrival of the brand new variant.
Learn extra: 5 issues to know concerning the new Covid pressure spreading within the UK
The invention of the pressure in Britain sparked border closures in European international locations like Eire, France, Belgium and Germany in addition to international locations outdoors of the continent.
The Trump administration doesn’t plan to impose Covid-19 screenings for passengers arriving at U.S. airports from the UK, Reuters reported, citing officers accustomed to the matter.
The British authorities confirms that one other infectious variant of the novel coronavirus recognized in South Africa has additionally in the UK. The pressure from South Africa has not but been recognized in the USA.
President Donald Trump’s coronavirus vaccine czar, Moncef Slaoui, mentioned earlier in December that the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 pictures needs to be efficient in opposition to new strains.