At least 645 cases of coronavirus variants from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil have been reported from 33 states.
Of this number, at least 626 have been related to the UK variant known as B 1.1.7. a DailyMail.com analysis of state and federal data is revealed.
More than half of these cases have been reported in Florida and California, and there are two strain-related deaths, one in New Jersey and one in Alabama.
Experts have warned that this variant is expected to become the dominant strain in the US in March.
There are currently five cases of variant B.1.351, which was first detected in South Africa, three of which were in Maryland and two in South Carolina.
In addition, two cases of the P.1 strain native to Brazil in Minnesota have been identified.
It comes as U.S. cases decline more than 50 percent, but deaths continue to rise with more than 5,000 fatalities (the highest one-day high ever recorded) yesterday.
A total of 645 cases of coronavirus variants in the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil have been reported in 33 states.
All variants have mutations in their ear protein (circled in yellow) that makes it more contagious, capable of reinfection, and potentially more immune to vaccines.
Due to the rise of new variants, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Thursday that it is developing guidelines to help vaccine, drug and testing manufacturers adapt.
Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock said that while all three are working now, there is a possibility they will not do so in the future.
“We have to prepare for all contingencies,” he said in a call to reporters.
In the coming weeks, Woodcock said the FDA will provide draft recommendations to help modify products as needed.
Concerns have been raised in recent weeks about variants of the virus, which appear to be more infectious.
The UK variant was first discovered in Kent County and now accounts for at least 61 cases in Britain.
Most estimates place it at about 70 percent more infectious, but some studies suggest it could be twice as infectious.
More moderate projections say its transmissibility is only about 56 percent higher.
UK officials say this variant could be 30 to 40 per cent more deadly, and so far there have been two deaths in the United States related to the variant.
The South African variant was also first announced in December and shares mutation with UK variants as well as several others.
President Joe Biden invoked a travel ban on people coming from South Africa in an effort to stop imports of the new variant.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, says the South African variant is the most troubling, as it can make vaccines less effective due to mutations that help it “hide. ”Of antibodies developed after vaccination or a previous COVID attack. 19.
The variant drew international attention when four travelers arriving in Tokyo from Manaus, Brazil, tested positive on 2 January.
The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa (called N501Y), which makes the spike bind better to receptors inside the body.
Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon, has been devastated by COVID-19. Hospitals are running out of oxygen and Brazilian officials have said it is in a state of crisis.
Preliminary findings suggest that the top five vaccine candidates offer some protection against variants, but the degree has varied.
Two weeks ago, Moderna announced that while the vaccine still works well enough to protect itself from the South African variant, laboratory tests suggest that antibodies caused by the shot may be 60% less potent against the virus. in vitro (in a cell culture, not a living animal or person).
Last week, the results of the final Novavax study in the UK showed 95.6% efficacy against the originally circulating variant and 85.6% against B 1.1.7.
But in the South African study in the average phase of about 4,000 participants, Novavax’s shot was not as protective and was found to be only 49.4% effective of its variant, 501Y.V2.
In a paper released on Friday, the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University was found to be 74% effective against B 1.1.7.
However, the findings did not address whether or not this protection extends to B.1.351.
Last week, at a press conference, Dr. Fauci said the variants are expected to be more dominant in the U.S. in the spring,
At the same briefing, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of CDC, said that all COVID-19 cases in the U.S. should be treated as if it were a case of the variant.
Alabama’s father of two dies of ‘super-COVID’ in the UK at 35 years old
A family in Jefferson County, Alabama, is mourning after a father of two died due to the British variant COVID-19, just 35 years old.
Alfonzia Jackson Jr., 35, was diagnosed with variant B.1.1.7 early last week while struggling to make a living at the UAB hospital.
On Tuesday night, his wife, Ashley Jackson, took to Facebook around 9pm to announce that Alfonzia was dead.
“Lord, this day has been tough,” Ashley posted on Facebook. “I wouldn’t wish on anyone, as I said goodbye to my amazing husband.”
She continued, “Our girls will miss you really, you were an amazing father and I will keep your memory alive through them and they will always remember you.
WBRC previously reported on Alfonzia Jackson Jr., that Ashley said she was admitted to the hospital with symptoms of COVID and shortness of breath on Jan. 22, though she had no idea how she would have contracted the virus.
“My husband went to work and home,” Ashley Jackson said. ‘Gas station here and there. Nothing like going out and having a good time, just a hardworking man ”.
Rapid tests showed a negative diagnosis of COVID-19, but after surgery to relieve heart failure, a PCR test showed that Alfonzia had COVID-19.
Alfonzia was placed on a fan the days before he died.
Alfonzia Jackson Jr., Ashley’s husband and father of two daughters, passed away Tuesday night