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WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI – Health officials have identified additional cases of the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant in two women living in Washtenaw County.
The two new cases involve women who were close contacts of a Washtenaw County woman who tested positive for the variant after traveling to the UK, where B.1.1.7 is from, officials from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Washtenaw County Department of Health. said.
The three women are associated with the University of Michigan, officials said.
Since the MDHHS announced the first case of the variant in Michigan on Saturday, Jan.16, seven more COVID-19 infections have been linked to the case, officials said. It is not yet known whether five other close contacts of the woman who have tested positive for COVID-19 are infected with the variant, officials said.
The eight people have been asked to self-isolate, officials said.
Although the presence of this variant is detected with current testing methods, additional sequencing is needed to distinguish it from other more common COVID-19 variants circulating in the community, officials said.
The B.1.1.7 variant appears to be more contagious but not necessarily more serious than the primary strain of COVID-19, health officials said. Based on current evidence, health officials have also said that the current COVID-19 vaccine is effective against this variant.
MDHHS recommends that Michigan residents do the following to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and the new variant:
- Get vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Wear a mask around others.
- Stay six feet from others.
- Wash your hands often.
- Ventilate interior spaces.
More information on the COVID-19 B.1.1.7 variant can be found on the state’s website.
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