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PHOENIX – A faster-spreading COVID-19 variant has been detected in Arizona, the Arizona Department of Health said on Friday.
AZDHS, Yuma County Public Health Services District and Translational Genomics Research Institute report that the P1 COVID-19 variant, commonly referred to as the Brazilian variant, was confirmed in three test samples from the state.
While the variant spreads faster, studies indicate that the vaccines authorized to fight COVID-19 are still effective against the variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post.
The new strain was first identified in Brazil, with the first case detected in the United States in January.
The state’s health department is working with laboratory and public health partners, including the Centers for Disease Control, according to the release.
The so-called ‘UK variant’ was detected in Arizona in January.
Health officials are urging the public to pursue mitigation strategies that have been shown to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance and washing hands.