Nurses speak in front of the August 28 hospital in Manaus, Amazon State, Brazil, on January 14, 2021, amid the new coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic.
MICHAEL DANTAS | AFP | Getty Images
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that a more contagious variant of the Covid-19, originally identified in Brazilian travelers, has now arrived in New York.
The strain was detected by scientists at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and verified by laboratories at the Wadsworth Center of the Department of Health. The center collects about 90 random samples for genomic sequencing each day and has sequenced more than 8,200 samples statewide.
According to a press release, the patient with the Brazilian variant is a 90-year-old Brooklyn resident with no travel history.
“Detecting the Brazilian variant here in New York further underscores the importance of taking all appropriate steps to continue to protect your health,” Cuomo said. The governor urged New Yorkers to continue wearing masks, avoid crowds and get a vaccine when they are eligible.
The Brazilian strain, called P.1, was first identified in four Brazilian travelers who were tested during a screening in Tokyo, Japan, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The P.1 variant was discovered in the US in late January. Since then, CDC has reported 48 cases nationwide. The strain has a set of additional mutations that could affect its ability to be recognized by antibodies.
There is evidence that the variant is more contagious and can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. Researchers at Oxford University have recently published peer-reviewed data suggesting it may be less resistant to vaccines. However, further research is needed.
Cuomo’s announcement comes as daily cases increase in New York and 20 more states. Mortality and hospitalization rates are declining in New York as vaccine distribution accelerates.