Category: Covid-19

(NEXSTAR) Up to 90 healthy individuals between the ages of 18 and 30 will be deliberately exposed to COVID-19 as part of a forthcoming U.K. study.

The study, called the U.K. Covid Challenge, received ethics approval by the countrys Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on Wednesday.

According to a statement released by the department, the study will begin in the next few weeks and will expose 90 carefully selected, healthy adult volunteers to the virus in a safe and controlled environment.

The study will play a key role in developing effective Covid-19 vaccines and treatments.

During regular vaccine trials, a participant is given an experimental vaccine then left to lead their regular life. A challenge trial, on the other hand, deliberately exposes participants to the virus whether or not they have already been vaccinated, according to the World Health Organization.

Such trials have previously been conducted for cholera, malaria, influenza and typhoid.

This particular study will use the virus that has been circulating in the U.K. since March rather than the so-called U.K. variant, which is thought to be deadlier and more transmissible.

Medics and scientists will closely monitor the impacts of the virus on participants, and will be on hand to look after them 24 hours a day, according to the BEIS.

Once the initial study is complete, vaccine candidates already proven safe in clinical trials may be given to small numbers of volunteers who are then exposed to COVID-19 in order to identify the most effective vaccines and accelerate their development.

While there has been very positive progress in vaccine development, we want to find the best and most effective vaccines for use over the longer term, said Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng in a statement. These human challenge studies will take place here in the UK and will help accelerate scientists knowledge of how coronavirus affects people and could eventually further the rapid development of vaccines.

The administrators of the study are still accepting applications from potential volunteer participants.

There are more than 109,000,000 cases of COVID-19 worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID tracker. More than 2,425,000 people have died since the start of the pandemic.

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Healthy, young people to be deliberately exposed to COVID-19 for study - wreg.com

When the coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan, China, it may have seemed like a distant threat. But very quickly, the tiny pathogen made its way around the world, bringing sickness and death wherever it went.

In America, the first known Covid-19 fatality occurred on February 6, 2020. From there, the wave of daily deaths started rising.

By the end of May 2020, the virus had taken 100,000 lives, mostly in the Northeast and major cities.

Four months later, the death toll surpassed 200,000.

Less than three months later, by mid-December, more than 300,000 people had died.

With the virus spreading all over the US, it took only 36 more days to reach 400,000 deaths. January was the deadliest month so far.

The virus was unsparing.

Across the country, more than 27 million people have contracted the coronavirus, and 485,000 have died. Thats the highest Covid-19 toll of any country and more than the coronavirus deaths in Italy, Germany, Australia, Japan, the UK, Canada, and France combined. It exceeds the US death toll in World War II.

Its also an underestimate, and doesnt account for all the people impacted by loss. If every American who died has left nine people grieving, as one study suggested, there are now more than 4 million Americans who have lost a loved one to the pandemic.

Death at this scale is difficult to comprehend, or visualize. To get a clearer sense of the shifting burden of Covid-19 deaths over time, Vox analyzed coronavirus mortality by age, region, and race from the past year, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Johns Hopkins University.

We found that while Covid-19 spared no group, it impacted certain populations more than others. Throughout the pandemic, people of color have consistently been disproportionately sickened and killed by the virus. They also died young: Of Covid-19 deaths in people under the age of 45, more than 40 percent were Hispanic and about a quarter were Black.

But what started as a health emergency concentrated in travelers, urban minority communities, and other crowded places (such as nursing homes and prisons) fanned out into rural areas of the country, leading to a surge in deaths among white people, too.

In the deaths, we saw how an infectious disease became a universal issue, said Boston University School of Public Health dean Sandro Galea. The extraordinary loss of life was also preventable, said Virginia Commonwealth Universitys Steven Woolf, and a grim marker of how poorly the US handled the pandemic.

By the winter of 2020, the virus was spreading broadly in every state, and largely by people younger than 50. Still, disparities in lives lost have persisted.

A trend at the start of the US outbreak has held: People of color have died of Covid-19 at much higher rates double the rate of white people overall in 2020.

But over the course of the year, the share of Covid-19 deaths among white people grew, while the share among Black and Hispanic people decreased.

In absolute terms, the death rate among white people rose significantly, while the rate among people of color dropped slightly. This was a trend we found in communities across America as Covid-19 spread.

Deaths per 100,000 per week:

Share of white population

The first surge

in deaths in the

spring occurred

mostly in places

with a large

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nonwhite

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The winter

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Deaths per 100,000 per week:

Share of white population:

The first surge

in deaths in the

spring occurred

mostly in counties

with a large share

of minorities.

The winter

surge brought

more deaths to

whiter counties.

Deaths per 100,000 per week:

Share of white population

The first surge

in deaths in the

spring occurred

mostly in counties

with a large share

of minorities.

The winter

surge brought

more deaths to

whiter counties.

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Experts attribute the change to the evolving geography of the virus a result of the failure by states and the federal government to curtail transmission.

At the start of the US outbreak, coronavirus cases and deaths were concentrated in a few cities, which have large numbers of people of color who are more likely to do essential work. The impact of Covid-19 was limited to New York, and to a lesser extent Detroit and New Orleans, said Dartmouth health economist Jonathan Skinner, and in particular among people who had to commute by public transportation to service-sector jobs.

Many Black and Hispanic people soon contracted the virus and died at very high rates an estimated 118,000 in 2020 overall.

By October, some of the most sparsely populated areas of the country Wyoming, the Dakotas, Nebraska were grappling with Americas worst outbreaks. The relative share of deaths among white people started rising.

The politics of 2020 led governors in [these] parts of the country to be less aggressive in dealing with the virus or actively discourage public health safeguards, Woolf said.

At the same time, more states adopted face-mask orders and other safety measures. Mask mandates helped bring case numbers down, and may have saved the lives of some essential workers.

The result: In August, Black people died at 2.5 times the rate of white people. By November, the rate was 2.2. In early February, it was 1.5.

But minorities were disproportionately affected by the virus in every month of 2020. They were also much more likely to die young.

46% of Americans age

35-44 who died are Hispanic

21% of Americans

age 35-44 are Hispanic

57% of Americans

age 35-44 are

white

20% of Americans age

35-44 who died are white

Black and white population data is non-Hispanic.

46% of Americans age

35-44 who died are Hispanic

21% of Americans

age 35-44 are Hispanic

57% of Americans

age 35-44 are

white

20% of Americans age

35-44 who died are white

Note: Black and white population data is non-Hispanic.

46% of Americans

age 35-44 who

died are Hispanic

21% of Americans

age 35-44 are Hispanic

57% of Americans

age 35-44 are

white

20% of Americans age

35-44 who died are white

Note: Black and white population data is non-Hispanic.

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America's Covid-19 deaths, explained in 8 charts and maps - Vox

A Denver-based company that works with some of the countrys largest businesses to protect the identity of users is offering a new service for free that will allow people to show they have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Ping Identity co-founder and CEO Andre Durand said the service, which will be offered through the recently acquired business ShoCard, will allow people to share digital proof of their vaccination with employers, restaurants and other venues.

The company rolled out the Project COVID Freedom website Wednesday to give businesses, organizations, health care providers, government agencies and others a chance to participate in what Durand called an early preview of the technology. Individuals can get on a waiting list.

Time will tell whether or not this is a technology thats needed, Durand said. At the end of the day its about getting businesses and people back to their normal routines as fast as we can.

Vaccine providers, including companies and health care providers, can issue a digital card that the person who has been vaccinated can download on the ShoCard app, like a digital wallet people use for tickets and other items on their phones. They can share the information using a QR code on the phone.

Once the credential gets issued to your phone, theres no other copy of it anywhere. The vaccinators will push some encrypted information to the phone. To the end user, it looks like a proof of vaccine, Durand said. The only way in which that information can be used, even by the individual, is by using facial recognition or their fingerprint.

Durand said he has talked to several people in Colorado and some health care providers to get a sense of how much interest there might be in the technology.

A return to normal requires secure and trusted ways to share and verify vaccination status, Gautam M Shah, vice president of platform and marketplace at Change Healthcare, a health care technology company, said in a statement. Supporting Project COVID Freedom is a natural extension of Change Healthcare and Ping Identitys common goal to use secure, highly accurate identity to enable trusted health care interactions for patients, health care providers and payers alike.

Durand said he believes a handful of other companies are looking at offering a similar service. Ping Identity took a detour from its original plans for ShoCard, which it acquired about a year ago, when the pandemic hit to offer the vaccination program. The company provides a platform to securely share personal information to establish a persons identity.

This is just technology to deal with something that no one asked for. I certainly wouldnt be one to say someone has to get vaccinated, Durand said. But we do live in a society in which transmittable diseases is now a thing.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has said that employers can make vaccination for COVID-19 mandatory, with limited exceptions based on sincerely-held religious beliefs or to accommodate a health concern, say an allergy to what is in the vaccine.

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Need proof of your COVID-19 vaccination? A Denver company is offering an app for that - The Denver Post

News Release

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health will evaluate the effects of remdesivir in pregnant women who have been prescribed the drug to treat COVID-19. The study, which will be conducted at 17 sites in the continental United States and Puerto Rico, aims to determine how pregnant women metabolize the drug and whether there are any potential side effects.

Pregnant women with COVID-19 are at high risk for hospitalization, for intensive care admission and for needing ventilator support, said Diana W. Bianchi, M.D., director of NIHs Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). There is an urgent need to identify effective treatments for this population and to determine whether drugs prescribed for other adults are appropriate for use in pregnancy.

The study is funded by NICHD, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and the National Institute of Mental Health, all part of NIH. Called IMPAACT 2032, the study will be conducted by the NIH-funded International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials (IMPAACT) Network.

Originally developed to treat Ebola and Marburg virus infections, remdesivir was shown in a NIAID-funded clinical trial to accelerate recovery in patients with advanced COVID-19 disease. Remdesivir has since been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of COVID-19 in adults and children over age 12 years.

Although it has not been approved specifically for use in pregnancy, remdesivir can be prescribed to pregnant women if their physicians believe the drug may benefit them. However, physicians currently lack scientific evidence for the safety and efficacy of remdesivir for treating pregnant women with COVID-19. Because pregnancy may influence a drugs effects, IMPAACT 2032 will compare remdesivir use in pregnant and non-pregnant women of reproductive age who are hospitalized with COVID-19.

The study will evaluate remdesivirs pharmacokineticshow a drug is absorbed, moves through the body and is broken down and eliminated in pregnant women and nonpregnant women of childbearing potential who receive it as part of clinical care. For women who received the drug within five days of delivery, samples from the plasma and umbilical cord will be analyzed for insight into remdesivirs pharmacokinetics in the placenta. Breast milk will also be tested for remdesivir among women who are lactating. Researchers will also document potential side effects and adverse events that could occur with use of the drug.

Additional information about IMPAACT 2032 and a list of participating institutions is available on ClinicalTrials.gov under study identifier NCT04582266 and on the IMPAACT Network website.

About the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): NICHD leads research and training to understand human development, improve reproductive health, enhance the lives of children and adolescents, and optimize abilities for all. For more information, visit https://www.nichd.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

Pharmacokinetics and safety of remdesivir for treatment of COVID-19 in pregnant and non-pregnant women in the United States: AStudyof the International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network.

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NIH funds study to evaluate remdesivir for COVID-19 in pregnancy - National Institutes of Health

There have been 22 deaths, nearly 700 COVID-19 cases since pandemic began

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has really changed the way of living on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, according to Louie Pitt, Jr, director of government affairs and planning for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Since the beginning of the pandemic about a year ago, there have been 27 deaths reported by Jefferson County, and 22 of them came from the reservation.

So why was there an initial high death count on the reservation?

Pitt told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday it had to do with their lifestyle. He said the tribe members are gregarious and like being with each other. He said the tribe initially didnt realize how serious and deadly the disease was.

The Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center has conducted a total of 8,354 COVID tests to date. Of those, 697 have resulted in positive cases, and 79 residents have been were hospitalized.

Warm Springs, like the rest of the country, has also been receiving and administering COVID vaccinations to its residents.

They have administered a total of 1,095 Moderna vaccine first doses, with 496 residents having received their second dose.

We're doing everything we can -- educating folks, trying to make sure everyone understands they have to do the whole package of protection, Pitt said. Vaccination is nice, but it doesnt guarantee you anything. You still have to do the social distancing, the masking, avoiding gatherings, washing hands often.

Although the Warm Springs reservation initially had a high COVID death rate, Pitt said it now sees the trend going down.

I think our community has stepped up to understand how serious this is, so congratulations, Warm Springs, he said.

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Warm Springs recovering from initial hard hit of COVID-19 pandemic - KTVZ

An Escondido company has teamed up with scientists at UC San Diego Health to develop a new rapid test for the virus that causes COVID-19, which can be scaled up to analyze as many as 100,000 samples in a day with equipment readily available in hospitals throughout the United States and the world.

Menon Biosensors, Inc., developed technology called the molecular mirror that can analyze samples rapidly, in mass batches and at a lower cost than existing tests, said Suresh Menon, CEO and founder of the company.

Menon said his company is working with UCSD Health to verify the accuracy and reliability of the test, and the two entities applied last week to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization to roll out the test at labs across the country.

The team of Menon and UCSD is also among 20 finalists for the $6 million X Prize, a competition that drew more than 200 teams from throughout the world to develop a faster, cheaper and easier-to-use coronavirus test. The top five teams are expected to be announced this month, according to the organizations web site.

This approach allows for accurate and rapid mass diagnostic capability without false negatives, Menon said. The key is to leverage existing infrastructure so we can move quickly to implement this.

David Pride, director of molecular microbiology at UCSD Health, who is overseeing trials of the new testing method at his lab, said the tests accuracy is equivalent to that of existing coronavirus tests, at a cheaper cost and much more rapid pace.

Why not do them thousands at a time? Thats the benefit of using this new technology, Pride said.

Menon said the molecular mirror technology starts with a sample of mucus or saliva taken with a swab from a patients nose or mouth. The sample is then mixed with a proprietary reagent and heated, which causes molecular tags to attach to the viruss RNA.

The samples, in batches of thousands, can be placed into a magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI machine, like those found at hospitals and clinics around the world. The scan produces a visual signal of the presence of the virus that can be read and diagnosed, Menon said. Another type of machine, called nuclear magnetic resonance or NMR, can also be used.

Currently, in the U.S. alone, there are some 10,000 MRI machines, as well as 10,000 NMR systems, Menon said. Since thousands of samples can be scanned in an MRI at one time, he said, the new test offers the potential to test huge swaths of the U.S. population in a single day.

The current standard test for coronavirus, called PCR, requires a specialized machine with a much lower capacity for testing samples, increasing the cost and reducing the speed at which results can be obtained, Menon said.

The molecular mirror technology behind the rapid coronavirus test grew out of technology that Menon originally developed to detect biological weapons, as a contractor for the U.S. departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

Last summer, with the COVID-19 pandemic in full swing, Menon and his company began to adapt the technology as a diagnostic test for the coronavirus, Menon said.

His company first worked with scientists at SDSU to apply the technology to non-clinical samples, and then with UCSD to test samples from patients, Menon said.

We spent some time to be absolutely sure this works, he said.

Once the application for emergency use authorization is submitted to the FDA for approval, the UCSD lab can immediately begin using the new testing method, Pride said. If the application is successful, he said, within four to eight weeks, the method will be available for any lab to use.

Because the new testing method relies on MRI machines that are currently available in hospitals and clinics, said Pride, There wont be a problem bringing this technology to the masses.

Rapid and inexpensive testing is necessary before schools and businesses can begin to reopen safely, Pride said.

Currently, scientists believe the molecular mirror test developed by Menon can detect the existing, known variants to the coronavirus that have emerged, said Pride, and if the virus mutates into new variants in the future, the test can be easily adapted to detect them. The test can also be quickly adapted to new viruses, Menon said.

Menon Biosciences was founded in 2013, and its offices were originally in Rancho Bernardo, before they were moved to Escondido two years ago. Menon, a native of Kerala, India, earned a bachelor of science degree from Mumbai University, and a doctorate in engineering science from Pennsylvania State University. He holds more than 100 patents and trademarks.

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Escondido company developing rapid test for COVID-19 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Not surprisingly, the Something in the Water festival will not occur in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will mark the second consecutive year that the organizers couldnt hold the music and cultural arts festival, which was slated to occur at the Oceanfront the last weekend in April.

It was first established by superstar and Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams in 2019 as a replacement for the long controversial college beach weekend. By all accounts, it was deemed a huge success.

This years festival was slated to run April 23-25. The festivals official website still signals there was once hope to hold it, with the phrase Cant wait to see you all in 2021! written on the front page.

However, sources within the Something in the Water leadership team, who werent authorized to speak publicly on the matter, confirm the festival is off but say people should stay tuned for future events.

Current gathering limits for concert venues in Virginia are capped at 250 people. The first festival drew more than 35,000 people and resulted in a profit for city taxpayers.

Several other large music festivals have already been canceled across the country and several Virginia Beach events set to occur after Something in the Water such as the annual Pungo Strawberry Festival have also been called off.

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Something in the Water festival again canceled due to COVID-19 - WAVY.com

Harrisburg, PA - The Department of Health today shared its weekly update on Pennsylvanias COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing data and encouraged Pennsylvanians to download theCOVID Alert PA app, as more than 786,000 have already done to aid in contact tracing efforts. There are 51 counties in the substantial level of COVID-19 transmission rate.

We continue to see great use of our new digital case investigation tool, the Connect & Protect Form, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said. Remember, if you are diagnosed with COVID-19 and are between the ages of 19 and 64 living within a county without its own health department, you will receive a call from a contact tracer and will be asked to complete and return your form as a part of the case investigation process. By participating in this proven public health practice, you can help public health professionals to effectively contact trace in order to anonymously inform and monitor your close contacts who have been exposed.

Thecontact tracing processis not possible without a case investigation by a public health professional. Across the commonwealth, there are 200 case investigators who reach out to incoming cases who are younger than 19 and older than 64 to find out where they went and with whom they came into contact in order to prevent outbreaks while infectious. This case investigation typically takes between 30 and 60 minutes to complete. For those who are between 19 and 64 years old and reside in an area without their own county or municipal health department, they will be contacted by a contact tracer to complete a Connect & Protect Form to initiate a digital case investigation in effort to connect to more people.

For this reporting week between Sunday, January 31 and Saturday, February 6, there were 26,985 COVID-19 cases statewide. Of those cases reported within that week, 26 percent, or 7,016 cases, had a case investigation started within 24 hours of receiving the positive report. Public health professionals will continue calling to complete the case investigation after the 24-hour period. An additional six percent, or 1,619 cases, had a case investigation started within 48 hours.

Although public health professionals may call to start the case investigation, the case may not answer the call on the first attempt. The Department of Health leaves voicemails, texts, and sends a letter to the home requesting a return call. There were 6,476 people, or 24 percent of cases, in this reported week that were successfully contacted by a public health professional statewide.

In addition to the traditional case investigations, contact tracers will call to reach the case and share a Connect & Protect Form to initiate a digital case investigation. There are now a total of 325 contact tracers working to assist this process specifically. For this reporting week between January 31 to February 6, contact tracers made 6,401 calls to reach 69 percent, or 4,432 individuals, successfully. Of the 3,792 that were sent forms, 37 percent, or 1,411 were returned. Since the implementation of the form on December 21, 2020 until February 6, we have received over 7,167 completed forms.

Therefore, there were 7,887 individuals, or more than 29 percent of cases, who successfully completed a case investigation this week.

After the initial case investigation is complete, contact tracing begins. Within the same time period of January 31 to February 6 there were 1,538 contact tracing staff working with local and county health entities, partner organizations and the Regional Response Health Collaboration Program within the Department of Human Services as well as volunteers from Co-County Wellness in Berks County and Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. These staff monitored 6,157 contacts who were identified during the case investigations.

Currently, all of the allotted 1,090 people have been hired through Insight Global. Some of these staff have been promoted to perform case investigations to meet the immediate needs of increased caseloads. There are 50 case investigators, 40 supervisors, and 10 resource coordinators who also help to refer Pennsylvanians to services during quarantine across the commonwealth.

Since the implementation of the Contact Tracing Management System in early October through February 6th in those areas of the state where Pennsylvania Department of Health is responsible for contact tracing, 75,484 of 98,155 contacts, or 78 percent of the total contacts identified, were effectively reached to communicate their quarantine status and offer ongoing symptom monitoring.

Between January 31 and February 6 there have been:

5,478 contacts have been processed for areas where PA DOH has jurisdiction;

3,649 people, or 67 percent of the total contacts identified, have been effectively reached to communicate their quarantine status and offer ongoing symptom monitoring;

1,829 people, or about 33 percent of the total contacts, were not reached

On September 22, the department launchedCOVID Alert PA, a free mobile app that uses Bluetooth technology to let a person know that they have been exposed to COVID-19 without compromising the identity or location of either the person using the app, or of the person to whom they may have been exposed.

The Department of Health has made updates the COVID Alert PA app to allow 13- through 17-year-old residents with parental consent to download the app and four new languages. This app is interoperable with16 other states that also utilize the same notification exposure app technology.

In addition to the traditional case investigations and contact tracing process, there have been 1,481 cases that confirmed their positivity and uploaded their random IDs through the app. These uploads generated 707 exposure alerts to persons who have downloaded the app on their phones and who were in close contact (six feet for 15 minutes or more) to the case. Of those who received the alerts, 101 individuals requested a call back for further assistance from a trained contact tracer.

As the contact tracing program expands, the Department of Health continues to work in partnership with over 150 organizations, in addition to the county and municipal health departments, through regional partnerships to help gather and answer questions, identify problems and find solutions to improve contact tracing efforts within the region. Each regional partnership has met at least once, and includes public health staff, health providers, academic institutions, community organizations, and other stakeholders interested in helping to coordinate and engage around contact tracing efforts.

Organizations and entities interested in partnering in these efforts should reach out toRA-DHCONTACTTRACING@pa.gov.

You can find more information on the states contact tracing efforts at the Department of Healths websitehere

While COVID-19 vaccine supply from the federal government remains limited, the Department of Health is working to ensure the vaccine is provided in a way that is ethical, equitable and efficient.

Pennsylvanians can provide feedback on thePennsylvania COVID-19 Interim VaccinationPlan by clicking on the Plan Feedback Form square under Popular Vaccine Topicshere.

Frequently asked questions can be found here.

The Wolf Administration stresses the role Pennsylvanians play in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19:

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

Cover any coughs or sneezes with your elbow, not your hands.

Clean surfaces frequently.

Stay home to avoid spreading COVID-19, especially if you are unwell.

If you must go out, you are required to wear a mask when in a business or where it is difficult to maintain proper social distancing.

Download theCOVIDAlert PA app and make your phone part of the fight.The free app can be found in theGoogle Play Storeand theApple App Storeby searching for covidalert pa.

Updated Coronavirus Links: Press Releases, State Lab Photos, Graphics

Daily COVID-19 Report

Press releases regarding coronavirus

Latest information on the coronavirus

Photos of the states lab in Exton (for download and use)

Coronavirus and preparedness graphics (located at the bottom of the page)

Community preparedness and procedures materials

MEDIA CONTACT: Barry Ciccocioppo - ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov

# # #

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Department of Health Jan. 31-Feb. 6 Update On COVID-19 Investigations, Contact Tracing, Monitoring Efforts: Pennsylvanians Urged To 'Answer the Call,'...

Variants represent a growing threat to the health and security of our nation, and right now the U.S. is lagging behind other countries in tracking new and emerging variants of this deadly virus, Baldwin said in a press release on Feb. 4 announcing the legislation.

But the spread of B117 threatens to outrun efforts to track it.

Its going to end up becoming a major player in COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin and nationally, Pothoff said.

Health officials have warned that the new variant could undo the progress made in the state since the November surge, when rampant spread pushed case numbers up to nine times what they are today. Scientists estimate that the variant spreads up to 50% faster than the strain that has so far infected nearly 28 million Americans and killed almost half a million.

A British study suggests the variant could boost the COVID-19 death rate by 35%.

So far 1,277 cases of the B117 variant have been reported in 42 states, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention variant tracking site.

The numbers are far lower for other worrisome variants. A South African variant known as B135, which is less susceptible to vaccines, has been reported in 19 instances. And a fast-spreading Brazilian variant, known as P1, has been detected in three COVID-19 infections, two of them in Minnesota. Scientists worry that both variants could evade natural immunity from COVID-19 infections and set off another deadly wave.

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More deadly, faster spreading COVID-19 variant 'out of the gate' in Wisconsin - Madison.com

When will we see the end of the COVID-19 pandemic? Biden makes cautious projection  KOMO News

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When will we see the end of the COVID-19 pandemic? Biden makes cautious projection - KOMO News