Durham, NC – At least three cases of a variant of the coronavirus that originated in the United Kingdom in North Carolina have been detected, and at least two cases of a second variant, first found in South Africa, have been reported in South Carolina.
The variants could put more pressure on hospitals in the area, as they are believed to be more contagious than the virus the U.S. has been battling for nearly a year.
“The South African variant seems to be more contagious. It conveys a little easier than the common variant,” said David Montefiori, a virologist at Duke University. “There is no evidence that makes people get sicker and more likely to be lethal.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 200 cases of UK variants had been detected in 21 U.S. states since last week. This included one in one adult in Mecklenburg county.
This week, the Guilford County Public Health Division confirmed a varying case there, and NBC affiliate WITN News reports that another case has been reported in Onslow County.
“While expected, the identification of this COVID-19 variant in North Carolina is worrisome, especially at a time when we are already seeing a very high number of cases,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the Department of State Health and Human Services.
The two cases of the South African variant in South Carolina were the first cases reported in the United States, but officials said they believe it is more widespread because neither patient had traveled, that is, probably they contracted the variant of the people with whom they had had contact.
According to Montefiori, coronavirus vaccines are likely to be protected from variants, but continued mutations in the virus could make it difficult to control the pandemic.
“Scientists hope there will be substantial prevention of infection or at least such a high risk of reinfection, with these new variants with people who have already been infected with the common variant. So this is good news. “, he said. .
Vaccines produced by Novavax and Johnson & Johnson, which are still in clinical trials and not yet approved for use in the U.S., have already been tested in South Africa, he said.
“Both vaccines were 50 to 60 percent effective in South Africa. Now, that doesn’t sound very good when we’re used to hearing 95 percent effectiveness against the common variant, but it’s still very good,” Montefiori said. , noting that the seasonal flu vaccine is usually about 50 percent effective.
“These companies are starting to modify their vaccines now, so they will be able to target the new variant in South Africa more effectively,” he said. “I think we can expect to see these vaccines as a booster in the future.”
While coronavirus testing does not determine which variant someone might have, Montefiori said efforts to control variants in the U.S. are increasing.
“We’ve seen this virus already evolve so it’s moving away from the immunity induced by vaccines,” he said. “This is the biggest fear: that this virus will end up moving in this direction and become a bigger problem than the current variants.
“The potential concern [is] that a new variant could reactivate the pandemic, “he added.