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Three more cases of the highly contagious variant of the coronavirus first discovered in the UK have been identified in New Jersey, bringing the total number identified in Garden State to 11.
The first two cases of the variant were announced last week. Officials said Wednesday they had discovered six more cases. Three more were announced on Friday.
The cases have been reported in six counties:
- Ocean County – 4
- Essex County – 2
- Morris County – 2
- Hudson County – 1
- Middlesex County – 1
- Warren County – 1
At least one death has been attributed to the new variant and two of the cases have involved people who have recently traveled.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracking | Bulletin | Home page
New Jersey health officials on Friday reported 5,023 more confirmed cases of coronavirus and 83 more deaths as vaccination doses approached 725,000 injections administered.
Scientists said the mutation was up to 70% more contagious. But there is preliminary evidence that it could be fatal and that other variants could be more resistant to vaccines. New Jersey is one of at least 24 states where the strain has been confirmed.
Viruses often acquire small changes of a letter or two in their genetic alphabet just through normal evolution. A slightly modified strain may become the most common in a country or region simply because it is the strain that first settled there or because “super-spreader” events have helped it to grow. root.
A bigger concern is when a virus mutates by altering proteins on its surface to help it escape drugs or the immune system.
But New Jersey health officials said they did not believe the variant would limit the effectiveness of vaccines against the virus.
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Matt Arco can be reached at [email protected].
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