The first U.S. cases of the South African strain of coronavirus have been detected in South Carolina. Officials announced that two people were confirmed to have tested positive for the more contagious strain of the virus first seen in South Africa.
"The arrival of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is an important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over," said Dr. Brannon Traxler, interim public health director at the state's Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified South Carolina public health officials on Wednesday (January 28) that a case tested at LabCorp was positive for the new strain. Another sample tested Monday at the state's Public Health Laboratory was also identified as positive for the variant on Wednesday.
There doesn't appear to be a connection between the two cases nor is there any known travel history. Both adults live in separate areas of the state, one in the Lowcountry and the other in the Pee Dee region.
According to the World Health Organization, the new variant, also known as B.1.351, has been detected in more than 30 countries. Though it appears to be more transmissible than the original novel virus, experts believe the current available vaccines will be effective against the strain.
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