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A mutation in the novel coronavirus that was first identified in South Africa has officially reached the United States. South Carolina health officials announced Thursday that two cases of the variant – known as B.1.351 – had been identified in two residents with no recent travel history, suggesting they had been acquired locally.
Officials with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) in a press release said they were contacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) after sequencing of the genome of a sample from South Carolina turned out to be the variant.
The two cases were identified in adults, “one from Lowcountry and one from the Pee Dee area,” officials said, noting that “there is no known travel history and no connection between these. two cases “.
“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 the acting director of public health of the DHEC, Dr. Brannon Traxler, in a statement. .
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“We know that viruses mutate to live and live to mutate,” added Traxler. “That’s why it’s critical that we all continue to do our part by taking small steps that make a big difference. These include wearing our masks, staying at least six feet from each other, avoiding large crowds, washing your hands, getting tested often, and when we can, getting vaccinated. . These are the best tools to prevent the spread of the virus, regardless of the strain. “
While experts have said the South African variant is more transmissible than COVID-19, they don’t think it’s more virulent, which means it’s not more likely to cause more serious illness .
Additionally, experts pointed out that existing coronavirus vaccines would likely remain effective against the variant, with Moderna – its COVID-19 vaccine was the second to receive emergency approval in the United States – expressing confidence in the ability of its vaccine to remain effective against emerging strains of the virus, including the South African variant and a distinct variant first identified in the UK, following the results of a study still under review by peers.
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The company has conducted in vitro neutralization studies of sera from individuals vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine who were subsequently exposed to the newly detected variants.
The results of the trial show no significant impact on the vaccine’s effectiveness in neutralizing the virus, despite the introduction of new variants. However, the company will go ahead with plans to test a booster shot “to further increase the neutralizing titers against emerging strains,” he said, as well as to come up with another candidate booster variant specifically against the South African variant.
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Separately, Pfizer and BioNTech – the company’s COVID-19 jab was the first to receive emergency approval in the United States – have already expressed confidence in their COVID-19 vaccine’s ability to protect against further variants. Earlier in January, the companies published a yet to be peer reviewed study that showed jab remained effective against British and South African strains.
Before its discovery in the United States, the B.1.351 variant had already been identified in more than 30 countries around the world.
Alexandria Hein of Fox News contributed to this report.
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