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The 20-year-old Elbert County man has no journey historical past to that space, state well being leaders mentioned.
COLORADO, USA — Colorado leaders introduced Tuesday {that a} man in Elbert County has been contaminated with the COVID-19 variant that was beforehand reported in the UK.
The Colorado State Laboratory confirmed the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7 and notified the Middle for Illness Management (CDC) of the case. The contaminated individual is a person in his 20s who’s presently in isolation in Elbert County. He has no journey historical past to that space.
Scientists in the UK imagine the B.1.1.7 variant to be extra contagious than beforehand recognized strains of the SARS-CoV-2 variant, although no extra extreme in signs. As well as, the presently permitted vaccines are regarded as efficient in opposition to this variant.
“There’s a lot we don’t find out about this new COVID-19 variant, however scientists in the UK are warning the world that it’s considerably extra contagious,” mentioned Gov. Jared Polis. “The well being and security of Coloradans is our high precedence and we are going to intently monitor this case, in addition to all COVID-19 indicators, very intently. We’re working to forestall unfold and include the virus in any respect ranges.
“I need to thank our scientists and devoted medical professionals for his or her swift work and ask Coloradans to proceed our efforts to forestall illness transmission by carrying masks, standing six toes aside when gathering with others, and solely interacting with members of their rapid family.”
Public well being officers are doing a radical investigation and mentioned the person will stay in isolation till cleared by public well being officers.
To this point, no shut contacts have been recognized, however public well being officers are working to determine different potential circumstances and contacts via contact tracing interviews.
The Colorado state lab was the primary within the nation to rapidly determine the variant via subtle evaluation of testing samples. The lab initially carried out the diagnostic PCR check on the pattern and located that the pattern was optimistic for COVID-19 with robust alerts for the N gene and ORF1ab (each are detected when an individual has COVID-19), however the sign for the S gene was not detected. When the S gene doesn’t register within the testing, it’s referred to as an “S Drop Out Profile,” and it’s thought-about an important signature for the variant.
The pattern was flagged for additional investigation. Scientists then sequenced the viral genome from the affected person pattern and located eight mutations particular to the spike protein gene related to this variant. Genome sequencing is a molecular profiling of the whole viral RNA sequence.
“The truth that Colorado has detected this virant first within the nation is a testomony to the sophistication of Colorado’s response and the expertise of CDPHE’s scientist and lab operations,” mentioned Jill Hunsaker Ryan, govt director, Colorado Division of Public Well being and Setting (CDPHE). “We’re presently utilizing all of the instruments obtainable to guard public well being and mitigate the unfold of this variant.”
Polis and state officers will present further particulars at a information convention Wednesday morning.
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