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A new variant of COVID believed to have originated in Brazil has been confirmed in Hawaii.
The State Department of Health said its state labs division confirmed the presence of the P.2 variant, which it said contained the E484K mutation, through surveillance tests.
The strain was confirmed in an Oahu resident who had recently traveled to the mainland and was asymptomatic, according to acting state epidemiologist Dr Sarah Kemble. This resident is now out of isolation, she said, and so far no further transmission has been detected.
State officials said the variant was under close surveillance after two people in Brazil who were previously infected with COVID were re-infected with the P.2 variant. However, it is not known whether this variant is more resistant to vaccines and antibodies obtained during a previous infection with COVID.
The P.2 variant has also been found in several states on the continent and in Europe.
People previously vaccinated or infected “should not become seriously ill if they are infected with the P.2 variant,” the department said.
“At this time, with the investigation, it does not appear that another transmission has occurred with this P.2. strain, ”Kemble said. “This variant was introduced because of travel, and there are travel going on, so there will always be that possibility.”
Additionally, surveillance testing confirmed three additional cases of the B.1.1.7 variant in Oahu, bringing the total to six statewide. All six are in Oahu and are family contacts.
In Maui, however, there are growing concerns about the B.1.429 variant, which has been linked to an increase in COVID cases on Valley Island.
This variant, previously known as L452R, was first detected in Hawaii about a month ago and gradually became the predominant strain in California around the same time as an outbreak in that state, according to the director of the state. Division of State Laboratories, Edward Desmond.
“It can become predominant and it can be associated with an increase in cases,” he said.
Twenty-eight cases of the B.1.429 variant have been detected in Maui, which is almost half of the cases of this variant in the state so far this year.
There have also been 17 cases of the variant detected in Oahu, four on the island of Hawaii and one on Kauai so far this year.
In Maui, a mix of these cases was associated with a cluster in the correctional setting as well as in the community, Kemble said, so it appears the variant is circulating in the Maui community.
It was first detected in California in December and has been found in more than 40 other states.
The strain may be more transmissible than other strains of COVID but is still under investigation by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is not yet clear how effective current vaccines are against B.1.429.
While Kemble believes the detection of these new variants should be a cause for caution, just as Oahu eases restrictions and moves to level 3, she believes the reopening framework will work as needed.
The daily number of cases in Oahu is declining as vaccination efforts are well underway, she said.
“I think the levels are designed in such a way that if we see with the reopening at level 3 that we go back in the wrong direction, there will be a balance,” she said. “So if we see this trend in the wrong direction, we can adapt to it.”
The attenuation response to the newer variants should be the same as for the non-variable strains, she said, which includes wearing your mask, monitoring your distance, staying home when you go. are sick and wash your hands – also, get your vaccine when it’s your turn.
The state health department will continue its surveillance for variants in collaboration with private hospitals and independent clinical laboratories.
Currently, approximately 75 state samples per week undergo genomic sequencing.
The department reported two new deaths from the corona virus and 44 new infections on Friday, bringing the state’s total since the start of the pandemic to 437 deaths and 27,399 cases.
The latest deaths were an Oahu man in his 60s and a Maui man, also in his 60s, both of whom had underlying health issues.
Per island, Oahu has 384 active cases, Maui has 197, the Big Island has 27, Kauai has four and Molokai has one, according to the state’s latest tally. Lanai has no active cases.
Health officials counted 4,768 new COVID-19 test results in Friday’s tally, for a statewide positivity rate of 0.92%. The state’s seven-day average positivity rate is 1.2%, according to the Hawaii COVID-19 Data Dashboard.
According to the verified weekly summary of the COVID-19 vaccine in Hawaii, 326,766 vaccines have been administered out of the 404,090 received by the state as of February 25. About 14.1% of the general population of Hawaii has received at least one dose of the vaccine, while about 60% of people aged 75 and over have received a dose.
Of the vaccines administered, 304,899 were given to the general public and 21,867 were distributed through the federal pharmacy program, officials said.
The Hawaii Emergency Management Agency announced Friday that the state has received $ 87.4 million in federal funds to open several state-run community vaccination sites.
The reimbursement grant – which will be managed by HI-EMA, the State Department of Health, and the Department of Budget and Finance – will cover expenses for medical and support staff, personal protective equipment, costs of ‘facility and supplies needed to store, handle, transport and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
It will also cover efforts to educate the public about COVID-19 vaccinations.
The approved funding amount, HI-EMA said, is 50% of Hawaii’s estimated cost to administer the statewide immunization program for the first 90 days.
The state collects documents on eligible expenses from counties and various health care agencies to file monthly reimbursements. Qualified healthcare organizations can also request reimbursements directly from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The funding is a result of the Stafford Act Public Assistance Program, which provides disaster assistance to states, tribes, local governments and some private nonprofit organizations, following a presidential statement by disaster, to react quickly and recover from major disasters or emergencies.
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