SOUTH CAROLINA — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is reporting its first case of the COVID-19 variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom.
Health officials said they were notified Friday that the variant, also known as B.1.1.7, was found in a sample from an adult from the Lowcountry region. This person also has an international travel history, according to DHEC.
Early data suggests the variant may be more contagious than other variants, but current COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be effective against it.
“The arrival of the second SARS-CoV-2 variant in our state is a yet another important reminder to all South Carolinians that the fight against this deadly virus is far from over,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC Interim Public Health Director said. “While more COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, supplies are still very limited. We must all remain dedicated to the fight by doing the right things to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities.”
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As of Friday, the B.1.1.7 variant has been identified in several countries and in 30 states with 434 total cases.
On Thursday, DHEC announced a new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa was found in the United States for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina.
The two cases don’t appear to be connected, nor do the people have a history of recent travel, DHEC said.
The three significant variants being spread through the world currently are originally from the United Kingdom, South Africa and Brazil. Health officials said they emerged independently from each other and have different characteristics, but most variants do not change how the virus behaves and many disappear.
“We know that viruses mutate to live and live to mutate,” Traxler said. “That’s why it’s critical that we vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible and each of us do our part by wearing a mask, staying six feet apart, avoiding crowds, washing our hands, getting tested often, and when it’s our time, getting vaccinated. Science tells us that these actions work to prevent the spread of the virus, no matter the strain.”
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