The Department of Health says the highly contagious COVID-19 variant could be in Hawaii

Health officials in Hawaii warn that a highly transmissible COVID-19 variant first discovered in the UK may be spreading to the islands.

The Division of State Laboratories of the Department of Health has identified nine samples of the Denmark L452R variant and four samples showing a molecular clue related to the British B1.1.7 (strain). ‘

DOH scientists are expected to complete the complete genome sequence on the samples this week to determine if it is the British variant. The super-distribution strain has not been detected in Hawaii before.

The DOH said last week that it had discovered the Denmark strain, now in more than a dozen U.S. states, although the variant has not yet spread faster or poses a greater risk than other mutations.

One sample each from Maui and Kauai and seven from Oahu had the Denmark variant. Four people infected by the variant had a history of traveling to or from California and Utah, including two returning residents. The DOH is investigating one Maui case and four Oahu cases without travel history.

‘DOH encourages everyone to continue with community mitigation measures. Mask wearing, physical distance and avoiding large crowds help to slow down the spread of COVID-19 variants. It is also important to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it comes to the state vaccination program. ”

The Division of State Laboratories began searching in June for possible COVID-19 mutations that have spread rapidly around the world as health officials try to vaccinate the population. The laboratory is currently examining 75 samples per week and found that 3.4% of 264 samples were the Denmark variant, of which three samples were collected at the end of December. This indicates that the variant has been in the state for at least five to six weeks. “