Molecular model of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spike (S) protein (red) with the B.1.531 and B.1.1.7 variant mutation sites highlighted. S proteins are found in the viral membrane, they bind to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptors (ACE2, blue) on the host cell membranes and facilitate entry of the virus into the cell.
Juan Gaertner | Science Photo Library | Getty Images
The highly contagious variant first identified in the UK is now the most common Covid strain circulating in the US, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
The variant, known as B.1.1.7, is “now the most common lineage circulating in the United States.” Said CDC director Dr. Rachelle Walensky at a White House briefing. “Testing remains an important strategy to quickly identify and isolate infectious individuals, including those with variants of concern,” said Walensky.
The UK discovered B.1.1.7 last fall, which appears more deadly and spreads more easily than other species. It has since spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, which has identified 16,275 cases in 52 jurisdictions as of Tuesday, according to the CDC.
Florida has the most confirmed cases of the new variant, according to a map with the CDC data, closely followed by Michigan, Wisconsin, California and Colorado. Public health officials say they are working as soon as possible to identify more cases.
Last week, Walensky said the B.1.1.7 strain was beginning to become the predominant strain in many regions of the US, accounting for 26% of the Covid-19 cases circulating across the country. She urged the public to continue pandemic security measures such as washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing.
“This is a critical time in our fight against the pandemic,” Walensky said last week. “We cannot afford to lower our guard.”
The number of coronavirus cases remains well from their January peak, but slightly above their most recent low in late March. The seven-day average of daily new cases is 64,700, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University, a level similar to what the country saw during the summer wave.
Even as the pace of vaccinations accelerates, highly contagious variants are spreading quickly and could potentially slow the nation’s recovery from the pandemic.
Walensky said on Wednesday that the US should speed up its vaccination efforts, which averaged about 3.1 million shots a day as of Monday. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced that states should open agreements on Covid-19 vaccinations to all American adults by April 19, pushing its original deadline by nearly two weeks.
“We need to keep vaccinating as many Americans as possible every day,” Walensky said, adding that new cases and deaths will decrease.
– CNBC’s Nate Rattner contributed to this report.