South Africa Covid variant detected for the first time in New York residents

Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that a Covid-19 variant first identified in South Africa had reached New York.

The governor told a news conference that the mutation, which experts say is resistant to some vaccines, was detected in a Nassau County resident. The announcement comes days after a Connecticut resident tested positive for the variant at a New York City hospital.

“It’s more important than ever for New Yorkers to be vigilant, wear masks, wash their hands and stay socially aloof. We are currently in a race between our ability to vaccinate and these variants that are actively trying to multiply. , and we will only win that race if we stay smart and disciplined, ”Cuomo said.

The South African variant, known as B.1.351, was first detected in the USA at the end of January and was found in at least ten states according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 21 infections have been reported in the country.

The mutation is one of three particularly worrying strains the agency is monitoring, along with variants first identified in the UK and Japan.

The CDC said that preliminary evidence from non-peer-reviewed publications indicated that the Moderna vaccine could be ‘less effective’ against the South African variant. It warned that more studies were needed.

The Moderna vaccine is one of two federally approved vaccines in the United States. Three other vaccines are currently in clinical trials.

Cuomo’s announcement comes as the number of daily new cases and hospitalizations in New York and across the country continues to decline. Some public health experts have warned that the new mutations, which are believed to be more transmissible, could reverse the trends.