North Carolina reports first case of South African COVID-19 variant

RALEIGH — The first case of the COVID-19 variant B.1.351 has been identified in a central North Carolina adult, said officials with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The B.1.351 variant was first detected in South Africa in October and in the United States in January.

The person who tested positive has not recently traveled, officials said.

North Carolina is the fourth state to report an identified case of B.1.351. As of Feb. 9, nine cases of infection with the variant had been identified in residents of South Carolina, Maryland and Virginia.

[RELATED COVERAGE: First US cases of COVID-19 variant from South Africa found in SC]

The specimen was tested by LabCorp and selected for sequencing as part of a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NCDHHS expects to see new COVID-19 variants in the state as the pandemic continues.

Data suggest B.1.351 variant may be more contagious than others it may not be more severe, officials said.

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Current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against this and other new variants.

“While we anticipated the arrival of the B.1.351 variant in NC, it’s a reminder that the fight against COVID-19 is not over. The emergence of variants that are more infectious means it’s more important than ever to do what we know works to slow the spread — wear a mask, wash your hands, wait 6 feet apart, and get vaccinated when it’s your turn,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen.

First US cases of COVID-19 variant from South Africa found in SC

Cox Media Group