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PHOENIX – A COVID-19 variant that is spreading faster has been detected in Arizona, the Arizona Department of Health Services said Friday.
AZDHS, Yuma County Public Health Services District, and Translational Genomics Research Institute report that the P1 COVID-19 variant, commonly referred to as the Brazilian variant, has been confirmed in three test samples from the state.
Although the variant is spreading faster, studies suggest that the vaccines authorized to fight COVID-19 are still effective against the variant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s not known how widely the variant could be spread in Arizona, officials say.
The new strain was first identified in Brazil, with the first case discovered in the United States in January.
The state’s health department is working with laboratory and public health partners, including the Centers for Disease Control, to monitor the situation, according to the release.
The so-called “UK variant” was discovered in Arizona in January.
Health officials are asking the public to continue to pursue mitigation strategies that have been proven to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including wearing a mask, keeping a physical distance, and washing hands.