The number of new cases of the highly contagious coronavirus variant first discovered in the UK is increasing in New Jersey.
A total of 31 cases have been identified in 11 provinces in New Jersey so far, Judy Persichilli, commissioner of the health department, announced Monday. The first two cases of the variant in New Jersey were identified last month.
The number of cases in each of the 11 provinces is:
- Atlantic Ocean – 1
- Burlington – 4
- Essex – 4
- Hudson – 1
- Merchant – 1
- Middlesex – 2
- Monmouth – 2
- Morris – 2
- Ocean – 12
- Passengers – 1
- Warren – 1
At least one death was attributed to the new variant, and three of the cases were people with recent travel.
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Health officials in New Jersey on Monday reported another 2,218 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 25 additional deaths, as the state exceeded 1 million vaccines administered. However, the confirmed cases were likely lower due to a delayed report from a lab that will be included in Tuesday’s update, Governor Phil Murphy said.
It is unclear how often the positive test results for variants occur in the state.
Scientists have said the coronavirus mutation is up to 70% more contagious. But there is preliminary evidence that it could be more lethal and that other variants are more resistant to vaccines. New Jersey is among dozens of states where the tribe has been confirmed.
Viruses often get small changes of a letter or two in their genetic alphabet, just by normal evolution. A slightly adapted tribe may become the most common in a country or region, simply because it is the tribe that first took up position there, or because ‘super-distributor’ events helped entrench it.
A greater concern is when a virus mutates by altering the proteins on its surface so that it escapes from drugs or immune system.
But health officials in New Jersey have said they do not think the variant will limit the effectiveness of the vaccines for the virus.
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Matt Arco can be reached at [email protected].