A more contagious type of COVID-19 that was first identified in South Africa has now been found in Illinois, raising concerns that the state could lead to another viral revival, public health officials announced Thursday.
The coronavirus variant known as B.1.351 was detected in a resident of Rock Island, one of the Quad Cities along the western border of Illinois with Iowa.
The discovery follows 22 cases confirmed in the Chicago area last month of another strain first found in the UK.
Both variants – and yet another from Brazil yet to appear in Illinois – spread more easily than the original virus that improved the world around the world, but the current arsenal of COVID-19 vaccines being introduced nationwide still recognizes these variants and can provide protection, ”according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“We expected more cases of variants to be detected in Illinois, including strain B.1.351,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of public health in Illinois, said in a statement. ‘These variants seem to be spreading faster, which could lead to more cases of COVID-19 and even a new boom. Our best way to defeat this virus as quickly as possible is to keep wearing masks and getting vaccinated if it’s our turn. ”
Apart from the masking, officials say the emerging variants emphasize the need to maintain the 6-foot social distance, avoid crowds, wash hands regularly and ensure that indoor spaces are well ventilated.
Lax’s attitude towards these basic guidelines – especially with the more contagious variants threatening – could threaten the state’s progress in reducing infection rates, which have fallen sharply over the past two months.
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With the latest 2,838 cases diagnosed under 96,525 tests, Illinois’ average positivity rate was at 3.3% for seven days. The main indicator of transmission was four times higher at the height of the pandemic in November, and it has not been lower since July.
COVID-19 admissions to hospitals also fell sharply to pre-peak levels, with 1,954 beds occupied on Wednesday night, the first time since October 14 that the number had dropped below 2,000.
But the state suffered the worst day on Thursday due to coronavirus deaths in two weeks, as officials lost another 102 lives due to the respiratory disease. Fifty-four of the youngest victims come from Cook County, including a man in his thirties.
Overall, the state’s average rate of 57 deaths per day over the past week is half of what it was a month ago.
Since March last year, nearly 1.2 million people across the country have been infected and 19,841 of them have died.
Chicago’s COVID-19 test sites in the city will be closed Friday and Monday for Lincoln’s birthday and President’s Day.