PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Health Services officials say a variant of COVID-19 first discovered in the UK has now been detected in Arizona.
According to a statement released on January 29, officials say they have detected the B.1.1.7 variant in three state test samples.
“It is not known how widely the variant has spread in Arizona,” reads a portion of the statement released by AZDHS.
According to the CDC’s website, the B.1.1.7 variant, also known as 20I / 501Y.V1 and VOC 202012/01, originated with a large number of mutations, and this variant can be spread more quickly. At the end of December 2020, it was first reported in the US.
Officials with AZDHS say that it is typical for viruses to change through mutation, and that new variants of a virus are expected to appear over time.
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Covid-19 symptoms
Symptoms of coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. This, of course, is similar to colds and flu.
Expect colds to start with a sore or itchy throat, cough, runny nose and / or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include high fever.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may occur more slowly. According to the World Health Organization, it usually contains fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is of particular concern to the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart disease.
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COVID-19 sources
Why social distance can save lives amid COVID-19 pandemic
Social distance is not just about preventing the disease, but rather about slowing down the rate at which people become ill.
CDC website for COVID-19
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
https://espanol.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html (In Spanish / English)
AZDHS website for COVID-19
https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home
https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-epidemiology/es/covid-19/index.php#novel-coronavirus-home (In Spanish / English)