JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) – The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports the first case of a COVID-19 variant in the state.
The B.1.1.7 variant was identified in a sample of an adult in Marion County.
Missouri DHSS shared the following announcement on Saturday night:
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) reports the first identification in a Missouri resident of the COVID-19 variant, B.1.1.7, which was first discovered in the UK in September 2020 and began to be reported in the United States in December. The B.1.1.7 variant was identified in a sample of an adult living in Marion County. To protect the privacy of the individual, no further information about the patient will be released .
The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that 611 cases were reported to the CDC in the United States on Feb. 4, with 33 cases reported so far.
“We were informed today of this first variant of B.1.1.7 in Missouri, and we are working closely with the local public health authority to ensure that appropriate measures are taken with regard to contacts and isolation and quarantine protocols, ”said Dr. Randall Williams, Director of DHSS.
According to the CDC, this particular variant is associated with increased transmissibility, which allows it to spread more quickly. Early reports found no evidence that this variant had any influence on disease severity or vaccine efficacy.
DHSS continues to advise people to wear a mask, to wash their hands well and to take some distance, and to stay at home if they are unwell. If symptoms occur or if COVID-19 exposure is suspected, DHSS encourages people to get tested.
Although the vaccine has limited availability, the COVID-19 vaccine is now available to health professionals, long-term residents and staff, emergency responders, and those with specific co-morbidities or aged 65 and over. Read more at www.MOStopsCovid.com. “
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