Covid-19 variants account for about 78% of recent Covid-19 cases in New York City, according to data published Monday by the city’s health department.
Nearly 1,500 virus samples were collected between March 22 and March 28 and genetically sequenced by the New York City Pandemic Response Laboratory. About 30% of those specimens were identified as B.1.1.7, the variant first identified in the UK. Another 45% of the genetically sequenced samples were identified as B.1.526, the variant first discovered in New York City.
B.1.1.7 is classified by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a variant of concern as it has been found to be more transmissible and cause more serious infections. B.1.526 is an interesting variant, with ongoing studies of its effects on disease severity and vaccine effectiveness.
The prevalence of both variants has increased rapidly in New York City. In the second half of February, B.1.1.7 accounted for about 10% of the genetically sequenced specimens and B.1.526 for about 35% of the samples sampled.
According to the city’s health department, about 5% of confirmed cases are genetically determined and both B.1.1.7 and B.1.526 have been identified in all five boroughs of the city.
“The proportion of variants of concern and variants of interest is increasing,” the report said, suggesting that the “spread of specific variants, possibly because of their greater infectivity, is one of the reasons why COVID-19 cases in NYC are on remain high. plateau of between 3,000 and 4,000 new cases per day. “
In the past seven days, New York City has reported more than 15,000 new cases of Covid-19, an improvement from the average of nearly 19,000 cases per week in recent weeks, according to data published by the city’s health department. However, New York City ranks 20th for the most new Covid-19 cases per capita in metropolitan areas of the U.S. in the past week, according to data from the White’s Covid-19 team. House.
Nationally, B.1.1.7 accounted for about 44% of the samples collected between March 14 and March 27, and B.1.526 for about 6% of the samples, according to data published by the CDC.