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State health officials reported Friday evening that there is a “fast-growing outbreak” of the B117 UK COVID-19 variant in southwest Twin Cities.
The Minnesota Department of Health says there has been a 62% increase in COVID cases in Carver County between Feb. 24 and March 4, and the UK variant – which scientists have found to be more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 strain – plays a role in that increase.
In addition, MDH says it has detected “at least” 68 cases of COVID-19 associated with participants in “both school-sponsored and club sports activities, including hockey, wrestling, basketball, downhill skiing and other sports.”
Subsequently, the number of cases has increased in Carver County gyms and fitness centers, feeding contacts back to the sports-related cases.
MDH says it recommends a “nationwide break” in youth sports for two weeks from Monday as a result, as well as “active screening, weekly testing of athletes and coaches, no pre / post game meetings.”
The department also recommends that Carver County Schools interrupt extracurricular activities where “full distance cannot be maintained,” and local gyms enforce strict mask rules, pause group classes, and actively screen employees for COVID symptoms.
Genome sequencing of some of the samples provided by those infected during the outbreak has confirmed 24 cases of the B117 variant since January 28, the largest cluster of the variant found to date, while an additional 18 people with COVID have been associated with people with the B117 variant and are currently awaiting sequence results to determine if they too have the variant.
The variant has been found in “athletes, coaches, students and household contacts,” says MDH, and “multiple schools, both public and private, have confirmed cases related to cases of variant strains.”
The department says many of those with the B117 variant went to school or attended sports activities while they were contagious, prompting a call by MDH for youth athletes and parents to “double down” measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
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The discontinuation of youth sport was lifted in January amid dwindling cases, but players are still required to wear masks despite efforts to repeal this requirement from the activist group Let Them Play MN.
“We are making progress in the effort to end this pandemic, but we need all Minnesota to remain on their guard until the work is done,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.
“The variants that are now circulating pose an added risk that we can see a new increase in the number of cases and we need everyone to do their part to prevent that. That means masking, social distancing, at home. stay when they are sick and get tested when necessary. “