Lawrence, KS – According to the statement, the new coronavirus variants could also accelerate the trajectory of the pandemic. The officials are warning that these variants are concerning, especially as we’re seeing signs of progress. The continued spread of variants that are more transmissible could jeopardize the progress we have made in the last month if we let our guard down.
Researchers from the CDC and the Minnesota health department detailed cases of the B.1.1.7 variant — first identified in the United Kingdom — among eight Minnesota residents. Earlier modeling data has suggested this variant, which may be more transmissible, could become the predominant variant in the United States in March.
A new study described people ages 15 to 41 whose samples were collected from mid-December through mid-January; five reported Covid-19-like symptoms and three were asymptomatic.
Among the eight people, three had a history of international travel in the two weeks before they became ill, including two who traveled to West Africa and one who traveled to the Dominican Republic, and three others had traveled to California. One person was exposed to the virus at home, and another in the community. None had a history of travel to the UK.