SAN BERNARDINO, California. – The first confirmed case of California of the P.1 coronavirus variant, commonly known as the ‘Brazilian’ variant, was detected in a San Bernardino resident.
The California Department of Public Health notified the country on March 13 after it was found in a positive test sample collected on March 2.
Health officials say the variant was detected by Fulgent Genetics. The resident who contracted the virus is said to be a man in his 40s.
Officials say on March 3, he reported experiencing symptoms and that he was self-isolating at home. The province is investigating how the resident may have been exposed to the variant.
“We are taking immediate and aggressive steps to detect and contain the virus and are working with the CDPH to expand the entire genomic sequence to identify more cases,” said Dr. Michael S. Sequeira, provincial health officer, said.
“Delaying the spread of the disease and reducing the spread of all variants is feasible with contact detection, strategic quarantine with masking and social distance, and most importantly vaccination.”
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The P.1 variant, discovered in Brazil in January, is thought to be more contagious than the most common virus strain. However, there is no evidence that the variant leads to worse cases of COVID-19.
According to doctors, it is not clear whether the variant is more resistant to vaccines.
San Bernardino County moves in red level
From Sunday 14 March, people can eat indoors again. San Bernardino County has officially entered the red level of the state, which can resume indoor dining, along with indoor use of gyms and several other businesses.
“The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has been tested in Brazil, where it has a 0% mortality rate and 85% success rate in preventing hospitalizations and serious infections,” Sequeira said.
The person who contracted the virus has not yet been vaccinated.
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This comes as San Bernardino County has entered the less restrictive red level in the “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” in the state. This can resume indoor dining, as well as reopen indoor services for gyms, fitness centers, movie theaters and various other businesses with a limited capacity.
But even though things seem to be ‘normal’ again, health officials in the province are still urging them to wear masks, keep social distance and avoid contact with people outside their households, and should be vaccinated as soon as eligible.
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