California COVID-19 Variant Detected On UT Campus

The University of Texas alerted students and staff members that the California variant of COVID-19 has been detected on campus, KXAN reported.

People who tested positive for the California variant (or B.1.429) have been notified and are in isolation, according to a campus-wide email from UT. The school is also conducting contact tracing.

"Although we sequence only on-campus tests, we assume that these cases are representative of the wider community and are working with local and state health authorities accordingly. The emergence of new variants stresses the need for increased vigilance in practicing protective behaviors," the university said in the email.

B.1.429 has been found in 45 states and multiple countries, but it is primarily affecting California. Scientists are still studying B.1.429, but researchers believe that it may be more contagious than other COVID-19 variants, the New York Times reported.

“We are still learning about the B.1.429 variant. There is very little data available at this point regarding its transmissible, whether it can lead to more severe illness, and the degree to which currently available vaccines protect against it,” UT said in an email.

With spring break now underway, UT is urging students to follow public health advice, especially if they are traveling.

Photo: Getty Images