Government Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday that the first cases of infection caused by the coronavirus variant in South Africa had been confirmed in the Bay.
Newsom said one of the cases was found in Alameda County and the other in Santa Clara County. He did not share any additional information about those who tested positive or how they contracted the viral variant, B.1.351. Newsom said the cases of the South African tribe had been reported a few hours ago. “
The announcement comes amid growing concerns that coronavirus variants, some of which are likely to be more contagious, could spread with greater frequency at a time when California is still digging out the devastation of its winter thrust.
Although the currently available vaccines appear to be effective against most coronavirus variants identified so far, the stress that has fueled the revival of COVID-19 in South Africa is not being delayed by a vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University not. In a study of a relatively small group of about 2000 people who were relatively young and healthy, the vaccine did not reduce the risk of mild to moderate illness.
Officials relied on the AstraZeneca vaccine to protect its frontline health workers, but the results of the study prompted the government to draw up plans for a vaccination campaign that would begin this month.
A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the American company Novavax has been found to be almost 90% effective against all types of COVID-19 when tested in the UK, but only 49% effective in South Africa. Another developed by Johnson & Johnson reduced the risk of moderate to severe cases of COVID-19 by 72% in clinical trial participants in the US, but was only 57% effective in South Africa.
None of the three vaccines were allowed in the United States.
California also confirmed 159 identifiable cases of infection caused by the coronavirus variant first identified in the United Kingdom, designated B.1.1.7. This is of particular concern to health officials, as it is thought to be 50% more transmissible than the conventional variety.
Given how easily the variant can spread, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that it could become the dominant coronavirus strain nationwide by the end of March.
The British variant has been identified in San diego, Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Alameda, San Mateo and Yolo provinces.
LA County officials on Monday confirmed the fourth and fifth cases of the B.1.1.7 variant. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said it was clear there were a fair number of mutant strains circulating in LA County.
If we have a more contagious virus, Ferrer said, ‘It makes it easier for people to get infected. … The variants are worrying, because if we fail, the more contagious strains can become dominant. And that just makes it a lot easier to spread this virus. ”
Orange County on Monday confirmed his first case of the British variant in a resident who reported no international travel history, “meaning there are likely to be more cases in OC,” the province’s health agency tweeted.
Officials on Monday also confirmed the first case of the British variant in the Sacramento region – in the Yolo province, west of the capital – after an individual was determined to have the tension and ‘possibly obtained the variant by traveling outside the community ‘. according to a statement issued by UC Davis and the City of Davis.
At least 138 cases involving the British variant have been confirmed in San Diego County, with 50 probable cases there. A UC San Diego scientist warns government officials representing the UK pressure is so transmissible that its spread – coupled with the rejection of mask use and physical distance guidelines, as it occurred in the fall in California – could cause a worse upsurge within two months occurred in winter.
Times writers Melissa Healy and Emily Baumgaertner contributed to this report.