Colombian variant of COVID is already spreading in South Florida

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Florida – The Colombian variant may seem like the next concern in the COVID-19 crisis, but in South Florida, it’s already here.

Carlos Migoya, CEO of Jackson Health, revealed that now 10% of COVID-positive patients whose results are sequenced at the University of Miami pathology lab have the strain originally from Colombia.

“And here’s a really shocking thing that’s spreading a bit in Colombia,” Migoya told Local 10 News. “And they haven’t seen it anywhere other than Colombia. Well guess what? In the past week, 10% of our patients had the Colombian variant. Why? Because of the trip between Colombia and Miami.

This sequencing laboratory reports the following percentages of variant cases among COVID positive:

• Delta 49%

• Brazilian 26%

• Colombian 10%

The fastest-spreading Delta variant accounted for just 2% of cases just two months ago.

The unvaccinated harbor the mutant variants that are spreading rapidly in our community.

A d

“The more people we leave unprotected from vaccines, the more possibilities there are for variants to emerge,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins.

[ALSO SEE: South Florida hospitals take dire steps as COVID-19 trends worsen]

Local 10 News spoke to several travelers on Monday at Miami International Airport. Most seemed indifferent.

“We are not afraid of it,” said Johanna Castillo, who arrived from Colombia. “We are already vaccinated.

For more information on where COVID-19 vaccines are available in South Florida, Click here.

WATCH CARLOS MIGOYA’S FULL APPEARANCE ON “THIS WEEK IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA” BELOW

A d