A New Variant Of COVID-19 Evolved In Oregon, Researchers Say

Researchers said they're concerned about a new variant of COVID-19 that evolved in Oregon, according to KATU.

Reporters said the strain was found in a health care setting in Marion County. Studies are underway to examine how it will effect people, but so far they said it's similar to versions of the virus found in the United Kingdom.

“It has been shown this combination of variants are more resistant to being neutralized by human antibodies, but we still have a lot to learn about what that might mean outside of the lab in a real-world situation,” Brian O'Roak said on Monday (March 8).

O'Roak is an associate professor of molecular and medical genetics at Oregon Health & Science University. He said his team found the Oregon strain and are still figuring out how far it will spread in the community. Some other experts have voiced concern about the variant going undetected.

"We've only detected the single instance of this mutation within the outbreak. We don't think it was the only case within the outbreak to contain that mutation. But thus far we haven't seen it out in the wider community yet," he said, urging faster vaccination of the public.

Ken Stedman, a biology professor at Portland State University, said he's not too concerned about the variants but thinks public health officials should keep track of them.

"He says the same things we've been doing to limit the spread of COVID like wearing masks and washing hands work against variants, too," reporters wrote. "And he says those same public health measures could also help limit the number of variants we see."

Photo: Getty Images