HELENA – Montana health officials have confirmed the first known cases of a variant of the COVID-19 virus in the state.
According to the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), the three tests in Gallatin County showed signs of the United Kingdom, or the United Kingdom, variant of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Full interview: Jim Murphy, DPHHS Administrator – Health and Safety Division
Gallatin City County Health Officer Matt Kelley makes the following statement:
We are aware that the samples come from Gallatin County, and we are working with the state health department to investigate the origin and timing of the samples. It should come as no surprise that a variant of the virus occurs in Montana. More than 40 other states have identified the virus, and it goes without saying that it is also in Montana. It is a good reminder that this pandemic is not over yet, and that it is important that everyone does everything in our power to help us slow down the transmission. This means that you should, where possible, exercise physical distance, wear face masks in public settings, stay home when we are sick, wash our hands and get a vaccine when available.
“We are working with Gallatin County to find out a little more about these cases, but what we do know so far is that these people were quite young and all recovered,” said Jim Murphy, public health and safety administrator. , said Division.
The Centers for Disease Control says the UK variant, known as B.1.1.7, was first identified in the fall of 2020. Montana is the 46th state to confirm the virus in the US.
“So not a unique thing, but at least our first,” Murphy remarked.
The British variant first appeared in the United States in December 2020. According to the CDC, this variant apparently spreads easier and faster than other strains of the coronavirus.
‘I think the good news is that the British variant has been around for a while. We know a little more about it, ‘Murphy remarked. “It does not seem to cause serious illness. There is evidence that there is slightly more contagious or transmissible, but we also have fairly good evidence that the vaccine addresses this variant quite well. ‘
The CDC says studies indicate that currently available vaccines produce antibodies that recognize these variants, and more studies are underway to investigate the level of protection against current vaccinations.
Visit the CDC website for more details on COVID-19 variants.
*** UPDATE 03/03/2021 17:37: This article has been updated with additional information. ***