HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio – A COVID-19 variant, commonly known as the UK variant, has been discovered in Hamilton County, public health officials in Hamilton County said Monday.
Hamilton County is one of at least 11 Ohio provinces known to have detected the variant, officially marked as the B.1.1.7 lineage. The variant was also discovered in January in a laboratory in Covington, Kentucky.
Hamilton County public health officials completed patient contact detection, which cleared the quarantine period. The test was taken on 30 January and the variant was detected during routine supervision of tests submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Greg Kesterman, commissioner for public health in Hamilton County, said he and his agency have known about the variant for some time.
‘From a prevention point of view, the reaction remains the same: wear a mask, keep at least six feet physical distance, wash hands regularly and stay home when you are ill. Also consider taking a vaccine when you are eligible, ”Kesterman said in a statement.
According to the CDC, the variant was estimated to occur in the United Kingdom in September 2020. Several countries have reported cases of the variant since December 20, including the US.
The British variant is associated with more efficient and rapid transmission, according to the CDC, and British scientists have reported evidence to suggest that the variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variants.
Click here for more information on the variants of the virus from the CDC’s website.