MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – State health officials say a new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 has made its way to Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed on Thursday that the COVID variant first discovered in the United Kingdom has been identified in five people in the Twin Cities. Cases range from 15 to 37 years. They reported feeling ill between December 16 and December 31.
Dr. George Morris and other health experts believe the new variety is more contagious.
“We have identified more than 90 million cases around the world, and to have that many cases without expecting viral shift or changes is not realistic,” Morris said.
He says the more famous COVID strain has about a 10% chance that an infected person will spread it to at least one other person.
(credit: CDC / NIAID)
“With this new variant, the B-117, it looks more like 15%, maybe 20%, so it’s increasing,” Morris said.
Still, the variant is believed to be no more deadly. Dr. However, Morris says it could cause more deaths by spreading more quickly among vulnerable populations.
“If the mainstream coronavirus spreads to 10,000 people, we will have a certain percentage of deaths,” he said. “But if this new strain spreads to 20,000 people, there will be more deaths.”
That’s why experts continue to encourage the use of measures such as social distance and mask wear.
The good news is that preliminary studies show that the COVID vaccines provide protection against the new strain.
“We need to continue to focus on the things that we have found to be useful,” said Morris. “Trust our scientists, use our trusted source of information and continue these conversations.”
Of the five new cases identified in Minnesota, only two reported recent international travel. None of the five people have been hospitalized.