Story at a glance
- New Jersey state health commissioner Judy Persichilli announced Wednesday that one person who was infected with the B.1.1.7 strain died in the state.
- The patient had underlying health conditions and no history of international travel.
- The U.K. variant is believed to be at least 50 percent more contagious than previous strains of the virus and there is some evidence that it could even be deadlier than the current common strain.
The first known U.S. death from the more contagious and potentially deadlier variant of the coronavirus first identified in the United Kingdom has been reported in New Jersey.
New Jersey state health commissioner Judy Persichilli announced Wednesday that one person who was infected with the B.1.1.7 strain died in the state.
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“It’s more important than ever with the variant to continue to mask up, social distance, stay home when you’re sick,” Persichilli said during a news briefing.
She said the patient had “significant underlying health conditions” and no history of international travel. A total of eight cases of the U.K. variant have been reported in the state as of Wednesday.
The U.K. variant is believed to be at least 50 percent more contagious than previous strains of the virus and there is some evidence that it could even be deadlier than the current common strain circulating in the U.S. Health officials have maintained, however, that current vaccines appear to work against the variant.
On Wednesday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said there have been more than 300 cases of the strain in 26 states.
“The variants that have been identified recently seem to spread more easily, they’re more transmissible, which can lead to an increased number of cases and increase stress on our already taxed health care system,” Walensky said during a White House COVID-19 briefing.
Meanwhile, the South Carolina health department on Thursday announced the first U.S. cases of a more contagious variant first identified in South Africa, known as B.1.351.
Public health officials say the variant is particularly concerning as early studies have shown some reduction in the antibody response from current vaccines. Both Pfizer and Moderna say, however, studies show their vaccines are still effective against the new strain.
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