New, More Infectious British Coronavirus Variant Confirmed In Louisiana, Health Officials Say | Coronavirus

The Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed the first state-identified case of a new, easier-to-spread variant of COVID-19 in the Greater New Orleans area, officials said.

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7., Often referred to as the ‘UK variant’ because of its prevalence in the UK, spreads more easily than other strains of the country, officials say.

LDH has conducted an investigation and contact tracing to identify those in close contact with the infected person, who is believed to have a history of out-of-state travel. The variant strain, which officials say is probably circulating in Louisiana, has been detected in at least 15 other states.

“There is an urgent need for everyone to double the mitigation measures that we know are effective in reducing the spread of the virus,” Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement. “It has always been a matter of time before this new strain of the virus reached Louisiana, which is why our public health experts are monitoring cases and working with the CDC to prepare.”

LDH has been working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance Program in preparation for this variant strain, sending samples every two weeks for sequencing since November 2020.

The UK variant has not been shown to cause more serious illness, officials added, and health experts believe current COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the strain.

Health experts advise people to continue to wash their hands, wear masks and socially distance themselves to prevent the spread of this more contagious variant.

“There is nothing quite like taking this too seriously,” said Edwards. “Even with the vaccines available, controlling our behavior with measures that have been proven to protect us is our best defense against the spread of this virus to our family, friends and all of our communities.”