New York Governor Andrew Cuomo wears a protective face mask as he arrives to speak at a daily post-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak briefing in Manhattan in New York City, New York, USA, July 13 2020.
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New York State confirmed its first case of a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus initially discovered in the United Kingdom, Governor Andrew Cuomo said Monday.
The species, which has also been found in California, Florida and Colorado, is believed to be more transmissible, but does not appear to make people sicker or increase the risk of death from Covid-19, experts said.
The case was identified in a 60-year-old Saratoga County man who had no travel history, Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters. The man, now recovering, worked at a jewelry store where three other people also tested positive for Covid-19. The state is investigating whether those cases were caused by the new strain.
Cuomo told reporters that the state has conducted about 5,000 tests looking for the new variant, known as B.1.1.7. Cuomo said he believes it is “a lot more widespread than people already know.
“If other states could test and test as much as we tested on the British strain, they would find them,” said Cuomo, adding that officials have not yet had cases with the strain in the downstate New York City area.
US health officials have said the arrival of the variant in the country comes as no surprise, although it could make the situation worse if it spreads uncontrollably.
While the new variant does not appear to cause more serious illness in people who are infected and current vaccines should still work against it, it could lead to more hospital admissions due to an increase in the number of cases, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. last week. The US is also on the alert for a second new highly contagious species first found in South Africa, similar to the one in the UK, CDC officials said.
“Increased infection is a problem, but the increased number of hospital admissions is a game changer, because if a hospital capacity in a region is threatened, that region should close,” Cuomo told reporters.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom said Monday the state has now confirmed six cases of the new variant, all in the southern part of the state. A person in San Diego County has been hospitalized, he said.
“We imagine that you really just have to anticipate that others will be identified,” Newsom said at a news conference.
Government officials are expected to provide an update late Tuesday on the genomic tests in California, which are being conducted to “better understand what this strain looks like and what it has done,” Newsom said. He said state health officials are in the process of tracking down contacts.
The CDC now requires all air passengers traveling to the United States from the UK to provide proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken no more than three days prior to their departure prior to boarding.
In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new national lockdown order for England until at least mid-February on Monday in hopes of delaying the spread of the new variant. He said the country’s top medical officers believe the strain is between 50% and 70% more transferable compared to previous versions.
“With most of the country already under extreme measures, it is clear that we need to do more together to get this new variety under control as our vaccines roll out,” Johnson said during a televised announcement.
– CNBCs Riya Bhattacharjee contributed to this report.