The South African coronavirus variant has now been identified in New York City, health officials said Tuesday – as they provided an update on the various mutations now spreading through the Big Apple.
“As the number of New Yorkers vaccinated every day grows, there is real reason for hope for better months ahead. But on the edge of this growing light, there is also a shadow of these new variants of the COVID-19 in the city, ”said Dr. Dave Chokshi, commissioner of the municipal health ministry at a press conference.
According to the health commissioner, two cases of the South African variant, called B.1.351, have been found in residents of the Big Apple.
As of last week, the number of confirmed urban cases of the highly contagious British variety has been. known as B.1.1.7, increased from 59 to 116, Chokshi said.
“The city will continue to test thousands of samples to find out more and the health department’s disease detectives are looking into the public health implications of these variants,” Chokshi said.
Meanwhile, the native species that emerged in New York City, known as B.1.526, is currently classified as “ an interesting variety, ” said Dr. Jay Varma, senior public health adviser to Mayor Bill de Blasio, at the briefing. .
“We expect to have preliminary answers [about the New York City variant] next week, ”Varma said.
Varma added, “And if we discover something alarming, we’ll tell you. If we think the variant probably won’t be a problem, we’ll tell you that too. And if we’re not sure yet, we’ll tell you too. “
“We will continue to do what we have done, which is to continue to collect the best possible data and use it to fight this epidemic together,” he said.
The New York City variant was first found in Manhattan’s Washington Heights, but officials say where it came from is unclear.
Varma considered the British variety, the South African variety, and the Brazilian variety, known as P.1, as “variants of concern.”
“What makes it a healthcare variant? It can change so much that it evades our usual tests. Our usual tests can’t diagnose it, or it’s changed to avoid our antibodies. Or it has changed so much that it leads to more serious illness and death, ”said Varma.
Chokshi noted that health officials “are still learning about the effectiveness of vaccines on these variants, but research to date has been consistent that the COVID-19 vaccines approved by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration] helps reduce the risk of serious infection and death. “