MADISON, WIS (WBAY) – Wisconsin state health officials say another variant of the COVID-19 virus has been found in Wisconsin. The South African variant, called B.1.351, is more contagious and spreads faster than the original COVID-19 virus.
Health officials do not yet know whether the South African variant is more dangerous or that the risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms is the same.
This is the second variant of the COVID-19 virus to be confirmed in Wisconsin. Deputy Health Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk said on Thursday that there were 19 confirmed cases of the British variant in Wisconsin – it was Friday 26. She said it was a conservative number because a small fraction of coronavirus cases undergo genome tests to determine the virus strain.
The department of health services says the discovery shows the need to be vigilant against the coronavirus with mask wear, hand washing and social distance. Health officials say preliminary evidence suggests that the Moderna vaccine is less effective against the South African variant, but it is not conclusive.
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