DENVER (AP) – The chief medical officer of Colorado says that two highly contagious COVID-19 strains that are more difficult to detect and more resistant to treatment can account for 30% of cases of coronavirus in the state.
The strains, called the California variant and the British variant, can also cause serious diseases, says Dr Eric France.
Colorado Politics reports that France says government officials are randomly testing hundreds of COVID-positive samples to find the variant. The state extrapolated initial findings to arrive at the 30% estimate.
The tribes are named where they were first found – Britain and California, respectively. The British variant filled hospital beds in Italy and elsewhere. The California tribe was spotted in the fall and is now common in the state as well as New Mexico and Arizona.
Colorado begins a new phase in its vaccination plan Friday in which people 50 years and older, restaurant workers and those 16 years and older with underlying health conditions are eligible for shots.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up within two to three weeks. For some – especially older adults and people with pre-existing health problems – it can cause serious illnesses, including pneumonia and death.
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